Another
by DemonHeart42
Summary: Lucy moves to Magnolia to live with her grandfather and cousin who she has not seen in many years. Her simple life is soon turned upside down when she meets a strange boy with pink hair and odd things start to happen. What secrets does he and the small town of Magnolia hold within its borders? Who knew asking a question could be a taboo?
1. Chapter 1

**My first Fairy Tail Fanfic. Please R&R and I hope you enjoy.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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The slight chirping from outside flows in through my open window along with a cool breeze that feels amazing through the heat emanating in the small stuffy room I'm in. I breathe in deeply the scent of the magnolia trees that rise out through my window making me feel a bit at ease as I lean back on my bed keeping my eyes closed.

Living in the city is nothing compared to the country side. There's not much hassle and noise that I'm so used to here making the silence enjoyable, though the temperature does make it a bit unbearable, but nothing I can't handle.

"Lucy?" I open my eyes at the sound of my name as I look toward the doorway of my room to find a short girl around my age with startling blue hair that reaches her shoulders with a yellow headband styling her hair and contemplating her outfit. It consists mainly of a yellow spaghetti shirt with a blue vest and some blue shorts with yellow flip flops, "How are you feeling?" she asks as she walks in with a small bouquet of flowers in her hand.

"Better now, actually," I say sounding tired and worn out. No different than from what I feel as I watch her place the flowers next to my bed while she enters the restroom and fills a vase full of water. Once she places the flowers in the vase she sits down next to my bed and tugs on the IV cord that's stuck in my hand.

"That's good to hear," she says as she takes my hand noticing the bright red spot right above where the needle is inserted.

Levy looks up at me questioningly as I pull my hand away scratching my head sheepishly feeling caught and a bit guilty, "The needle really bugs me and it begins to itch at times," I say and she shakes her head with a small smile on her lips.

Looking back down at my hand I lightly stroke it and then run my fingers up my arm to my shoulder feeling the bandage that covers up a deep gash that I got yesterday which I had unceremoniously received after falling down the stairs at the airport upon my arrival to Magnolia from Crocus. I had tripped over a load of unattended suitcases after pushing a small boy out of the way of a passing cart that almost ran over him. When I fell I landed on a decorative vase that was on the bottom of the stairs shattering it. A few of the glass pieces cut into my back and arms leaving two huge gashes behind my left shoulder and just above my hip. I needed at least five stitches for both cuts. Other than that I only have some scratches on my arms and legs along with a few cuts on my cheeks and bruises absolutely everywhere. After I fell they quickly rushed me to the Magnolia Hospital where I am now.

I look up at Levy and watch as her hazel eyes stare at my injured shoulder sadly, "The doctor says that it won't scar," I tell her and she nods as she musters a smile back on her face just as we hear a knock while we both look up at the noise, "Come in,"

"Finally awake I see," a white haired beauty says as she walks in wearing a white nurse's uniform with a clipboard in her hand. She's tall with waist length white hair and sapphire blue eyes that sparkle with kindness. She's around nineteen, really young for a nurse, but she had told me that she had finished college only a year ago. I nod as she walks over to us while checking on the machines and my IV seeming to ignore the angry red marks on my hand, "How are you feeling this afternoon?" she asks as she removes the needle from my hand and I rub it feeling relief flood onto my skin.

"Good, just a bit sore from the bruises," I answer and she smiles while writing onto her clipboard and nodding.

"That's good, you will be discharged tomorrow just so we can check and see that you didn't get hurt much worse than we thought," I nod as I watch her walk toward the door still writing on her clipboard. Before she's out the door she turns back to the two of us and says, "Before I forget, there are a few schoolmates of yours down in the lobby waiting to see you," and without another word she's out the door.

"Schoolmates?" I ask questioningly turning to Levy and she shrugs looks as confused as I am, "But I don't know anyone other than you and Yukino," I say and she rubs her chin thinking.

"Maybe it's the class representatives that we have here," she says more to herself than to me, "well, that makes it a winning occasion," she says while clapping her hands together gleefully it looks almost comical that I giggle.

"How is it a winning occasion," I ask staring at her a bit confused.

She leans close to me as if to tell me a secret but there's no one around so it seems unnecessary, "Because now you may gain some friends before school starts in two weeks," she says and I then nod knowingly. She's right, even though I'm not very good at talking to new people; it would be nice having more than three people that aren't relatives as friends.

"Sounds like fun," I answer and in truth it does.

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**I got the idea for this story some time after I finished watching Another, It's a mind blowing anime that I recommend you all watch. **

**Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as there's more to come.**

**Until next time my lovely readers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm back with chapter two. Glad to see a few of you enjoyed it. Well, please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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Someone knocks on the door again and Levy quickly goes to answer it as I look out the open window enjoying the warm scenery of the small town outside as a few people file into the room. I look up at them and notice five people standing before me, two boys and three girls with one of the girls being my cousin Yukino Aguria.

Among the small group is a tall raven haired boy with midnight blue eyes who looks like he just got out of bed and for some odd reason isn't wearing a shirt except has a silver necklace with a cross on it and has his hands deep within his pants pockets. Next to him a red haired beauty with waist long scarlet hair and deep piercing brown eyes stands looking fearless and a bit intimidating. Beside her a young girl with short white hair and sapphire blue eyes stands smiling at me and holding a bouquet of red roses seeming to be nice and less intimidating than the red haired girl. Lastly is the boy with pink, PINK, hair and Amber eyes, which also look a bit black when he looks away. For some odd reason he glances at me once in a while as if not interested in me at all. They all look at me with passive faces and for some odd reason I feel like I've met them or seen them before somewhere, but I can't recall from where.

"Welcome to Magnolia Miss Heartfelia," the red haired beauty says in a massive composed voice that seems to fill the room like a ringing gong, "I am Erza Scarlet, class president, and I'd like to be the first to say that I am looking forward to having you as a fellow classmate," I nod a bit speechless as she gestures toward the shirtless raven haired boy who looks at me with a lazy expression as if he hadn't had much sleep lately, "This is Gray Fullbuster, he's class treasurer and captain of the softball team," she then points toward the smiling white haired girl with the bouquet in her hands, "This is Lisanna Strauss, she's part of the student council and is also captain of the volleyball team and the tennis team," before Erza moves on I cut in with a question to Lisanna.

"Strauss? Does that mean you're related to Mirajane Strauss," I ask and she nods vigorously seeming to light up at the mentioning of Mirajane.

"Yes, she's my older sister and she works in this hospital as a nurse," something seems to click in her head as she asks; "She's your nurse, right?" I nod and her smile widens, "How silly of me, she's the one who asked us to come and greet you and I had totally forgotten that she was your nurse," she giggles and I just smile as I put my attention back to Erza who smiles a bit at Lisanna as if it were an everyday thing.

Pointing to the Pink haired boy who is about the same height as Gray she says, "This is Natsu Dragneel, he's also part of the student council but mainly stands under hall monitor and is the captain of the baseball team," she says before then pointing at Yukino seeming to want to get the attention away from Natsu as soon as possible.

"What a crappy job he does at all three," Gray mutters under his breath loud enough for us to hear making everyone turn to look at him in shock. Levy's expression, along with the rest of the girl's, turns annoyed right away as Erza smacks her forehead seeming to be more exasperated than the rest of the girls.

"What was that ice for brains?" Natsu quickly jumps waving his fist in Gray's face making the other boy look annoyed and somehow in the mood to pick a fight. Boys, I'm telling you.

"What are you deaf?" Gray asks pressing his forehead menacingly against Natsu's forehead and holding him by the boy's scarf that Natsu has wrapped around his neck – geeze isn't he sweating at all with that thing on – as they both growl at each other seeming just about ready to get into a fight. That is until Erza hits them both in the head with her fists making them back off away from each other and cringing away from her glare.

Mental note, never make Erza angry or I'll be digging my own grave.

Fixing her posture, Erza points back to Yukino and clear her throat, "Now this is Yukino…"

"She's Yukino Aguria, I know," I cut in smiling at said girl with short light white/blue hair and golden brown eyes as she stares at me from where she stands looking a bit uncomfortable. Strange, usually she's super happy and excited when she sees me but for some odd reason it seems like she wants to stay far from me as possible.

Natsu looks up at me and asks, "Luigi knows Yukino?" I feel my temple pulsate at the wrong name and if I wasn't so weak I'd probably clobber him to death for confusing my name.

"My name's Lucy, not Luigi, and of course I know Yukino. My uncles adopted her a few years back," I look up toward Yukino from where she stands intertwining her fingers together uncomfortably seeming to hate the spotlight being on her.

"So does that mean you're Jellal Fernandez's cousin," Erza asks and I nod as I move my gaze from Yukino to the rest of the group before me to where Levy is still sitting in the chair beside my bed shaking her head at Natsu as he continues to rub where Erza hit him earlier, "Well we must be going now, we only came to introduce ourselves and give you a welcome before you enter school soon," Erza says while taking the flowers from Lisanna and handing them to Levy, "When are you planning on going to school?" she asks as Levy takes the flowers from her.

I think it over trying to remember when I'll be attending Fairy Tail Academy, the most prestigious school in all of Magnolia holding the title as number one for its destructiveness, "I think the doctor said that in three days I should be ready to attend school. Mirajane said that I'm being discharged tomorrow so I'll probably take the doctor's word and start school on Thursday so I can rest up a bit,"

Erza and the rest of the gang nod as Gray says, "That's good, so we'll see you on Thursday," while waving as he heads toward the door.

The rest of them wave, except Yukino who is already out the door without a single word to me, and Levy follows saying that she's going to head down to the gift shop to buy a vase for the roses. I watch them all leave the room one by one while Natsu stays behind a bit watching the others leave as well with a composed expression on his face. What a change from the immature one he had on not only minutes ago when he was ready to pick a fight with Gray.

Once they're gone he says, "If anything weird happens, don't bother asking questions," in calm emotionless tone that makes a shiver run up and down my spine. His voice, though smooth and somewhat gentle, sounds ominous making warning bells go off in my head screaming Danger, Danger, Danger, over and over like a wailing siren, but I ignore them thinking that it's ridiculous to think him as dangerous. Nothing about him even looks remotely close to being dangerous at all.

"What do you mean?" I ask feeling my voice crack a bit as he heads toward the door grabbing the handle so as to close it on his way out.

He turns to look at me and gives me a small encouraging smile that seems a bit odd which makes me blush a bit and just before he leaves I hear him faintly say, "Stay safe Luce," before closing the door completely and leaving me alone with questions brewing throughout my brain like a swirling whirlpool.

What did he mean about what he said about not asking questions and staying safe?

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**So I hope you liked that chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Just to give you a heads up the first few chapters will be introducing some of the main characters that will be coming out within the story. I also update every four days, unless something comes up and I update a few days late or early. I also update two chapters on one day depending on how many reviews I get. I also take ideas into consideration.**

**All the landmarks and information that come out in this story has also been researched by yours truly so don't think that I made up the countries and places that come out, at least not all of them.**

**Shout Outs**

**monkeywahl - Thanks for being my first follower I really appreciate that you enjoyed my story.**

**Lady Any De Fanfic - I'm honored to have you favorite and follow my story. I'm really glad you enjoyed the first chapter and hopefully you enjoyed this one too. Hope to hear from you again.**

**Coolanime14 - Thank you for following my story.**

**dragon-slayer45 - thank you for following both my story and I and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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"Are you sure you want to walk around before you leave Lucy?" Mirajane asks as I head out the door with her right behind me, "If you want I can get you a wheelchair in case you get tired," she insists sounding way too worried that it touches my heart. She reminds me of my mom in that way.

"I'm fine," I say waving off her offer, "It's just a small stroll around the hospital before my grandfather arrives for me," I turn to look back at her and she still seems worried, "Besides it helps me get a bit acquainted with it seeming as I doubt that this will be my actual last visit to the hospital, and I am not talking about my regular checkups," this comment makes her crack a smile breaking away her paranoid expression.

"Alright then, but don't take too long or go too far off. I don't want to go send a search party in case you get lost," she says before turning to leave.

I giggle knowing that with my luck that might actually happen, "I'll be sure to be extra careful," I say while waving and then heading down the hall in the opposite direction as Mira wondering where I should go and adventure first.

Some people are so afraid of hospitals and I fail to understand why. I mean yes it is a place filled with sickness and sadness, but it's also filled with love and hope if you really look for it. It is a place where some miracles can actually come true, and although I myself am not afraid of hospitals, seeming as I spend most of my time in one, I can't help but feel an ominous vibe radiate all around me like a thick fog. Usually when I'm in a hospital it's filled with noise with doctors and nurses running up and down the halls, but here it's all so desolate and eerily quiet.

The ivory walls and small decorative filigree makes this feel like a hotel trying to seem warm and welcoming, but people don't pay much attention to it, and the smell of cleaning detergent fills the entire building like a silent gas. The feeling of a hospital always feels so welcoming when I am in one, seeming as I am a bit anemic and get checkups every once in a while plus the fact that I'm always finding a way to getting myself hurt, and in truth it's like a second home to me.

As I continue walking down the hall I hear whispering in the silence of the halls and I tense up looking around the empty halls wondering who was there, but I am completely and utterly alone. Please don't tell me that I'm becoming schizophrenic because that would be incredibly annoying.

Hearing even more whispering, coming from someone else this time, I head toward the corner and slightly peer over to find two people in the hall. One is a girl around my height with short wavy cornflower blue hair and skin so white it seems as if it's made from porcelain. Her dark navy eyes seem emotionless and somewhat sad as she looks across from her to the boy she's talking to with her arms crossed across her chest in defiance. It takes me only seconds to recognize that it's Natsu, hard to miss with him being the only person I've ever met with pink hair. His expression seems a bit irritated and his Amber eyes look like they're burning with annoyance. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides knuckles almost a ghostly white in contrast to his fairly tan skin.

"How do you think she'll react when she finds out the truth," the girl asks and like her expression her voice sounds a bit poignant and low.

"That's if she finds out," Natsu harshly whispers moving a bit menacingly toward the bluenet, "And by the way things are going I doubt she ever will," he says stepping away from the girl looking very well over confident even when the girl still seems skeptical.

She turns to walk away glaring at him and shrugs, "Fine, if you say so, but don't come crying to me when your little plan shatters and they all find out," she says and without another word she's gone. I wonder what they were discussing.

Stepping back a little I take in a deep breath and then walk around the corner crashing into something hard and warm. I scream a bit as I feel myself fall but before I even touch the ground I feel someone grab a hold of my shoulders making me wince in pain and when I look up I find Natsu looking down at me questioningly, "N-Natsu," I stutter righting myself up with his help as he keeps a hold on my arms until I'm back on my feet, "What are you doing here?" I ask before he can ask me the same question.

Blinking he smiles down at me finally releasing my arms, "Oh hey Luce, I just came by to check out my dad," he says scratching the back of his head seeming so cheerful and lively, a total change from what I had seen earlier where he looked so feral and infuriated, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah um, just taking a stroll while I wait for my grandfather to pick me up," I say sheepishly. Wow Lucy, could you be more obvious? He doesn't seem to notice as he nods still smiling down at me.

"That's good," he says looking down the hall from whence I came, "Would you like me to walk you back?" he asks looking back at me and I'm about to deny wanting to look on further through the hospital, but something in his question screams that I should probably go with him. Strange.

"Um, sure, why not," I say turning and walking beside him as we head back to my room. I look over at him as I keep my hands in front of me and he only walks beside me with his hands resting behind his head as he does and I can't help but ask, "I saw you talking to a girl," I say and I watch him tense up as his smile quickly disappears, but only for a second.

"Yeah that was Juvia Lockster, she's also a schoolmate but she's in a different class. You'll probably meet her when you enter school," he says cheerily but it sounds almost strained.

Nodding I ask, "What were you two talking about?" I ask and he completely stops walking losing his cheerful expression completely.

His gaze is transfixed in front of him and as I look up at him I can see his Amber eyes ablaze like melting gold. It's beautiful and yet so menacing at the same time that I feel a chill run up and down my body and the warning bells have started to go off again within my head. What is up with this guy?

"There are a few rules here in Magnolia that we all have to follow," he says while holding up his index finger as if trying to emphasize what he is saying, "Rule number one is, don't ask questions no matter what the cost," he says before placing his hands back behind his head still seeming a bit irritated as he does so and even though his annoyance annoys me I can't help but feel a bit drawn to him.

"Some rules are meant to be broken," I whisper and his eyes harden even more as he shakes his head.

"Not these ones. If you break them you could probably get hurt far worse than what you already are," he says sounding a bit threatening, "You'd be best off listening to that advice. It'll keep you out of trouble," I look at him confused not understanding at all what he means by that but nod either way showing him that I understood as we begin to walk again.

Before I know it we're by my room and he's just about to leave when I ask, "What's Fairy Tail Academy like," and he smiles wide showing me a row of perfectly white teeth seeming to be pumped up and more cheerful Natsu than the heated Natsu.

"You're in for a ride Luce," he simply says before waving and heading down the hall opposite from where we came from and before he's too far I hear him say, "Stay safe Luce," before rounding the next corner and disappearing from sight.

What a strange boy.

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**OOH, such mystery. I wonder what Natsu is hiding. All will be revealed in due time.**

**Shout Outs**

**a02tfsxwxh - Thank you for following both me and my story.**

**jonathanellis21 - Thank you for favoriting my story.**

**Coolanime14 - I thank you anyway.**

**Abbyren1516 - Thank you as well for following my story.**

**ImageDragons - Thank you for following and favoriting both my story and myself.**

**Katara Asuna Rose - Thank you for following my story. **

**Well that's all the shout outs for today. I'm glad you're all enjoying my story so far.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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"Are you sure you don't want to take the wheelchair. It's not too late to go get one for you so that you won't get tired," Makarov Dreyer, a short perv of an old man, asks shuffling beside me looking worried and just about ready to get a panic attack.

He's short, hard to believe since most of my relatives are fairly tall, with light tanned skin. His hair, what remains of it on the bottom surrounding his head, is fluffy white almost looking exactly like a cloud. A mustache resides above his upper lip and prominent worry wrinkles have dominated his features making him look worried even when he smiles. He's wearing a short sleeved orange shirt with a weird pink happy face painted on the chest along with blue jean shorts and sandals. His deep black eyes, though they are closed most of the time seeming to be in deep concentration, are now wide open looking at me with pure concern making my heart ache with joy.

I smile down at him shaking my head just as the sliding doors of the hospital's front entrance open and we walk out, "No grandpa, I'm fine. You don't have to worry so much. It isn't like this is the first time something remotely close to this has happened to me before," I argue heading toward the sleek SUV that's parked right in front of the entrance with my cousin Laxus Dreyer at the wheel looking annoyed and literally sweating by the bucket full in this heat, "besides, it's a short walk from here to the car and then another short walk from the car to your house,"

"But…" without listening to him any further I open the back door to the shiny new car and climb in with a bit of help from my oversized cousin. He's tall with blond spiky hair, deep gray eyes, almost black like Makarov's, and is ripped up to the max. I swear that it looks like he uses steroids, but my cousin is as clean as they come. Exercising is basically all he ever does on his spare time. Of course he wasn't all that good when he was younger as he used to be in a gang and got in a lot of nasty fights with other gangs. He actually has a really nasty scar over his right eye that he got in his last fight. Thankfully all that gang stuff is all behind him now that he's a professional boxer.

"How you faring kid," Laxus asks as I close the door and strap my seatbelt on while sighing heavily.

"Faring as best as I can," I say leaning onto the door wanting nothing more than to get home and take a long power nap curled up in my own room, "By the way," I ask sitting up and looking at Laxus through the rearview mirror, "Have you heard anything from my dad,"

"He's up in the country of Bosco at the time being, says he sends his regards and apologizes that he couldn't be here this time," Makarov states as he jumps into the front passenger seat and strapping in before Laxus drives off toward home, "He also told me to tell you to be more careful," he says with a sigh as he slumps in his seat looking worn out and twice as old than he really is. Poor grandpa, it's only been a few days and already I'm starting to make him worry. Pushing my thoughts outside, I look out through my window and watch as buildings pass by along with small open fields and lots of dense forest.

Today is my fourth day in Magnolia in almost seven years. The last time I had been here was on summer break when I was nine and my mother, Layla Heartfelia, was still alive. It had been the best summer vacation ever and even to this day I can remember just about every detail about it. Everyone had been so happy that summer and then winter came taking away all the flowers and shinning yellow sun, and my mom. Everyone had been heartbroken, my father more than most, and since that summer we haven't been back to Magnolia. Instead my grandfather would go and visit my father and I until father's job became too hectic that it was near to impossible for grandfather to keep up with his busy schedule.

My father is Jude Heartfelia, head CEO of the largest trading centers in the world (Heartfelia Konzern, Love and Lucky) and because of his job he travels a lot around the world. He's usually gone for only a few days and so he would usually leave me home alone with the maids when he would travel when I was in school, and on vacation days he would sometimes even take me along. This time, however, his business trip has prolonged into an entire year and so that I wouldn't be all on my own back at the mansion he sent me to live with my grandfather Makarov, who I hadn't seen in almost four years. I had actually sort of forgotten what he had looked like, along with Laxus who had grown tremendously, thus getting me lost at the airport when I couldn't find them leading to my unavoidable accident.

I don't mind it though, because even though I'll be away from my own father I'll be able to spend time with my mother's father. The perk about this stay is that I'll be able to learn all about my mother before she had married my father and maybe even stories about when she later married my father. All the stories that were too painful for my father to mention to me no matter how much I begged him to tell me.

"You've grown so much Lucy," Makarov says looking at me from over his shoulder with a soft smile on his face.

"Nah, she's about the same height, you've just shrunken more since the last time you saw her," Laxus snorts while turning a corner.

Makarov glares at Laxus before looking back at me, "You look so much like your mother," he says filling the car with melancholy, but I smile either way. It isn't everyday that I am compared to look like my mother, especially when not many people knew who she was, at least not people that didn't live in Magnolia. Everyone in Magnolia knew and loved my mother so dearly.

"You think so?" I ask and he nods winking at me just as we park into the driveway of his forty bedrooms home.

I climb out of the SUV and look up at the huge house. Well it's not really a house per say if not a large dorm where some students who don't have guardians or just don't have a place to go and attend Fairy Tail Academy live at. Since grandfather is the headmaster of the Academy he thought it would be smart to build a dorm for those students and I can say it has come to good use.

"Welcome to Fairy Hills kid," Laxus says while taking my bags from the trunk of the car and heads toward a much smaller home to the side of the large dorms. That's probably grandpa's actual house since he built the building right next to his own home.

I follow Laxus toward the small home when an all too familiar voice catches my attention from the nearby door of the dorm, "Fancy seeing you here," I turn to find Natsu watching me from where he's standing by the entrance of the building holding a grocery bag and dressed in a plain white shirt, faded blue jeans, scuffed up red converse and his trademark scarf. Seriously, it's freaking boiling outside.

"Oh hi Natsu, I didn't know you lived here," I say turning toward him but staying where I'm at. It's funny how not just a few hours ago we had been talking at the hospital.

He smiles a toothy smile and that's when I notice how sharp his teeth look like, almost like fangs, "I could say the same thing about you,"

"My grandfather owns this place," I say and he nods.

"So gramps is your grandfather, huh," he asks and I nod, "Well guess that means we're neighbors," I nod again. He looks up over behind me and his joking smile quickly vanishes turning into a scowl as he turns to head inside, "I'll see you later Luce," and before I can say anything he disappears through the thick wooden double doors without another word.

Turning around I find Laxus glaring at where Natsu had just disappeared and he seems to be almost fuming as I watch him a bit shocked, "Laxus," I ask and he looks down at me as he gently takes my arm in his.

"Come on, it's cooler inside the house," he simply says and leads me away from the dorms towards home in long angry strides making it a bit difficult for me to keep up, "By the way Lucy, you should watch yourself when you're around that guy," he whispers harshly and though I have the temptation to ask him why Natsu's words ring through my head in a deafening warning. Don't bother asking questions no matter what the cost. So for the first time in my life I actually listen to a complete and utter stranger.

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**So I've got to know, what kind of pairings would you like to see within the story. I already got a request for Jerza but I just want to know if you all want more pairings. I don't mind adding them in.**

**Shout Outs**

**miki9001 - thank you for following and favoriting my story.**

**Sakura Frost - thank you for favoriting my story and yes the anticipation is intense.**

**66vsxcm - thank you for following my story.**

**writingthedayaway - thank you as well for following my story. I have planned on making Natsu mysterious, but sadly he will not be the villian of the story, but he will seem like it. I've already planned on adding Jerza to the story and some other pairings and at the moment on deciding who. I'm really glad that you're enjoying my story so far and I can't wait to hear from you soon.**

**AiciSunt - Thank you too for also following my story.**

**MacaronFairy - thank you for favoriting and following my story.**

**Coolanime14 - glad you liked it.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today. I'm updating again on Monday and if I get at least five reviews I'll update two chapters ;)**

**Anywho, If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter 5. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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I plop down on my bed wincing as I do so at the pain from my shoulder. I look around the small bedroom taking it all in. The walls are covered in decorative pink wallpaper with the wooden floors covered in a large yellow rug with red trimming. A large bookshelf waits by the door to my room with my bed pushed up by my bedroom window which looks on over to Fairy Hill's large garden. At the head of my bed pushed to a corner is a fairly sized dresser complete with a chair and at the foot of my bed is a brand new wooden desk where I'll probably be spending most of my time writing and studying for school.

The room is basically empty, which I intend on filling up pretty soon, except for the pink comforter on my bed and a few picture frames scattered here and there. The room is also complete with a functioning bath and shower, porcelain toilet, and pristine white sink and shelves holding towels and other restroom essentials along with a large tub completed with a shower.

Sighing, I get up and head for the door of my bedroom ready to go down to the kitchen when I hear the doorbell ring below. I open my door and head downstairs to find Laxus opening the front door and letting in a few people. I stand by the staircase waiting patiently to see who it is that's come to visit.

"LUCY!" A young girlish voice calls out as I watch my young cousin, Wendy Marvel, rush toward me arms extended up over her head in excitement to see me. She quickly rushes towards me and I hold out my arms ready to receive her hug noticing how much taller she is than the last time I had seen her, "Luc-" before she can finish saying my name she trips over the rug carpet landing face first onto the ground, "Oww," she mumble into the carpet before sitting up on her haunches with a big red circle encompassing her entire face.

"WENDY!" we all cry as we all race towards her, "Wendy are you alright," I ask being the first to get to her.

"Yeah," she mumbles while rubbing her nose with a small whimper escaping her fragile lips.

Smiling down at her I hold out my hand and she takes it as I pull her up to her feet and then hug her feeling her small arms wrap around my waist as she buries her face into my stomach. I try not to wince as her face presses into one of my injuries while I stroke her hair as I take her appearance in.

Her long dark blue hair is pulled up into two half ponytails that are tied with two pink ribbons. She's wearing a white button up shirt with pink trim at the collar and blue jean shorts and white sandals with a butterfly glued to the strap. Her large brown eyes have tears at the brim from the probable pain but she still musters up a warm happy smile to me.

"See, this is why I always tell you not to run in the house," a deep brooding voice says from the doorway heading toward us.

"I know," Wendy mumbles while continuing to rub her face with a pout as I pull away from her slowly.

Looking over at the male heading our way I notice his blue hair, similar to Wendy's, is much longer than the last time I had seen him. It reaches just an inch below his chin and sweeps just above his kind brown eyes brushing against his intricate red tattoo that covers above and below his right eye. He's wearing a long sleeve white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. Black jeans cover his long legs and a pair of black dress shoes covers his feet.

"Jellal," I exclaim bringing the tall man into a hug, "It's been so long," I mumble into his chest as he returns my hug.

"It's good to see you Lucy, isn't it Wendy?" Jellal says while ruffling Wendy's hair lovingly. She doesn't even complain as she smiles widely at me while nodding happily.

Both Jellal Fernandez and Wendy Marvel are my cousins. They're both half siblings with different fathers. Jellal's dad had left him and his mother when he was young and some years later she got remarried with Wendy's father. A few years ago, actually, they even adopted Yukino into the family from a nearby orphanage. They're a happy family and I enjoy seeing them every chance I get, which in truth isn't that much with my father's busy schedule.

"Hey where's Yukino," I ask pulling away from Jellal and looking over his shoulder, well more like tried since he's a few inches taller than me and I can't really see over his shoulder.

Wendy grabs my hand ready to lead my into the dining room while saying, "She had some things to do for the student council and went out with a few of her friends," I nod understanding feeling a bit sad that she isn't here. Just when I'm about to follow I hear the front door burst open and a flash of orange flies towards me knocking Jellal out of the way into the wall.

Before I can take a breath, I'm scooped up into the air and swung around by a pair of strong familiar arms and I immediately get dizzy from all the spinning. When the spinning finally stops I look down into a pair of wide familiar hazel eyes that I have not seen in years.

Who knew the world would be so small as to bring us back together.

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**I wonder who the new person can be. Any guesses? Well there was chapter 5 and I hope you all enjoyed it.**

**Shout Outs**

**RandomObserver42 - Thank you for following my story.**

**Sakura Frost - I have planned on adding stories of Layla. I haven't written any chapters just yet but soon enough I'll have them posted up.**

**The Fantabulous Nemo Dexter - Thank you as well for following my story.**

**LovelyRose0500 - Many thanks for following and favoriting my story and myself.**

**sarah1994 - Glad you're enjoying my story, thank you for favoriting.**

**SkyFairies - Thank you as well for favoriting my story.**

**caterock18 - Thanks for following.**

**Happy Neko 6(Guest) - I'm really glad that you're enjoying my story so far and as for Natsu's personality I got it from the different personalities Natsu from Edolas has, I only took out the wimpy Natsu.**

**charlielovescake - thank you for following my story.**

**Well that's all the Shout Outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Fourth Of July My Wonderful Readers, hope you're all enjoying your day so far by swimming or watching movies or just reading fanfiction. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Narrator**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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"LOKE!" I screech wrapping my arms around the male's neck feeling his hold tighten around my waist while we both laugh as he continues to swing me around. I squeal while clutching onto the man feeling like we're going to crash into something and fall down. Also my injuries are beginning to hurt and I'm doing everything I can from crying out.

After what seem like hours of spinning, even though it's only been a few seconds, a loud earsplitting scream booms throughout the house seemingly making it shake, "LOKE YOU PUT THAT GIRL DOWN BEFORE YOU HURT HER EVEN MORE THAN SHE ALREADY IS,"

Loke almost drops me as we both turn toward the doorway leading into the living room to find Makarov fuming red where he stands, veins popping out of his forehead seemingly ready to explode, "Hurt?" Loke asks confused looking down at me noticing something he hadn't earlier when he had lifted me up, "Princess, your arms," he traces the several bruises and scratches that adorn my arms and I blush at the sound of his old nickname for me, "What happened to you," Loke asks then tracing the large band aid covering a cut just under my jaw.

"Oh, you know, fell down a flight of stairs at the airport when I got here," I say pulling my arms away from him and scratching my cheek feeling a bit caught. His hard gaze softens and his beaming smile returns.

Without further questioning, Loke wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me toward the dining room toward where Laxus is setting up the table with the help of a still fuming Makarov. I turn to look at Loke and notice how tall he is compared to the very last time I had actually seen him which had been when I was eight, sometime after my mom had passed away. He and his family had moved to Magnolia because of his father's job and I hadn't seen him since. I had still talked to him over the phone and at times we would write each other letters before we both became way too busy that we stopped both completely.

Loke is twenty one, four years older than me, and has taken on to working at his family's business, Star enterprises, along with Jellal. They're both still in college and mostly just help out with some office work here and there. His bright orange hair is spiked wildly to the sides and his blue tinted sunglasses sit snuggly at the edge of his nose covering his large hazel eyes. He's wearing a black business suit with a white button up shirt and a red tie neatly tucked behind the black suit. He's handsome with all boyish features that I used to know gone revealing lean broad shoulders and chiseled features. He smells of pine and fresh soap along with a hint of cologne, familiar scents that bring me back to our childhood when we used to play with each other as kids.

We all sit at the table as I ask him how things have been going and I grasp every word wanting nothing more than to catch up with my one true friend, other than Levy. Loke and I go as back as when I was two and he was six when our parents used to get together for lunch. I was a very lonely child and Loke always found a way to brighten my day, until the day he left.

I explain to him about everything that had been going on these past few years back in Crocus and he listens intently while eating his meatloaf happily. Everyone listens to me intently each laughing along with me when I mention all the other times I've had to go to the hospital because of my clumsiness. It's so much fun that before we know it all the food is gone and I continue with my story while Wendy and Laxus clean up the table.

The atmosphere is smooth and joyous up until I mention meeting Natsu and the rest of the student council. Wendy drops her spoon to the floor at the sound of his name and everyone else grows quiet looking at me as if I had just set off a bomb. This is the second time that someone tenses up when I mention Natsu, well Laxus really actually caught me talking to him so that is different. Loke is actually the one who seems to glare even more than the rest of the males in the room.

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask looking over at Makarov who has his eyes closed in concentration with his arms crossed across his chest.

"No Lucy, you did nothing wrong. It's just…" he trails off seeming to be weighing his response heavily inside his head, "It's just that I would prefer it if you wouldn't talk to Natsu at all," he says finally opening his eyes looking at me with concern and what seems to be fear. Was Natsu really that bad?

"How…" I start to ask but a familiar voice rings throughout my head along with the warning bells that had rung in my head a few days prior when I first met Natsu. Don't bother asking questions no matter what the cost. The warning rings through the air like a threat making me close my mouth as I press it into a fine line and I can't help but feel scared.

"Please princess," Loke says while reaching out and grabbing hold of my hand from across the table, "Please trust us when we say that he is bad news. If you hang around with him you'll only call trouble to yourself and you may get hurt far worse," Loke too? He sounds just like Natsu this morning when I caught him talking to that strange Juvia girl at the hospital.

I look around at all the worried faces that stare at me within the room and I can't help feel like I'm being watched from behind. I feel my mouth grow dry and the pressure within the room seems to intensify as I look at each face. I force a smile onto my face trying to look reassuringly at them, "Don't worry about me guys, I'm a tough girl," I say lifting my arm into a flex in a poor impersonation of strength, "But I'll take your word to mind," I say making them finally relax.

"Alright, who wants cake?" Makarov asks pulling a large chocolate cake from under the table and holding it up over his head like a treasured prize changing the atmosphere in the room dramatically. We all raise our hands yelling "Me" while laughing at Laxus's poor attempts to retrieve the cake from Makarov and though I try to laugh it off, the strange prickling feeling of having a pair of unwanted eyes on me continues to pull at my attention. I look at the window finding nothing but the dark forest nearby.

Weird.

* * *

From the nearby shadows, dark amber eyes stare in through the open window curiously watching the happy group interact with each other. He's been here since the moment the guests arrived about an hour or so ago and not once has he moved from that spot. His eyes have mostly stayed on the young blonde and when it came to the point where their conversation moved to her he couldn't help but hang onto every word those rosy lips said.

A name was said, and then a warning heard, making the atmosphere grow dark within the small comfortable house. Her large brown eyes are confused and when she's about to ask a question he knows she shouldn't be asking she shuts her mouth pressing it into a fine thin line. Another warning from an orange haired male that grasps her hand and she is silent for only a heartbeat before her contagious smile returns. She holds up her arm trying to make it look like she's showing off muscle, though there really is nothing there, before agreeing with them.

The atmosphere then changes and they begin laughing again, all of them except the curious blonde who looks out the dining room window straight at the forest. Her expression is confused, but most of all questioning, as she continues to stare outside into the lonely forest where the amber eyes watch her.

"Interesting," the figure says with an inquisitive smile before he melts back into the shadows.

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**Do you guys know who Cherami Leigh is? If not she's the lady who does the voice of Lucy, Whom I Adore, and coincidently she is coming out in a movie soon made by one of my favorite YouTubers Shane Dawson. The movie is called Not Cool and if you want you all should check it out.   
**

**Shout Outs**

**Uliary - Thank you for following and favoriting my story.**

**Coolanime14 - Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**eplekake - thank yo as well for favoriting and following my story.**

**guinealuv17 - thank you for favoriting my story.**

**Sakura Frost - It was Loke, as you probably just read, and if you guessed it was him then that is awesome.**

**Fuinneog5eva - thank you for following. **

**PhantomInsanity - thank you as well for favoriting and following my story**

**thatonguy666 - many thanks for following my story.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today. **

**If you're enjoying my story so far please favorite, follow, and review - remember that reviews are a writer's candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you can PM me and I'll gladly add it in. **

**Until next time my lovelies. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry I'm late. I've been a bit busy this week so I haven't been able to update until now, and so I will update two chapters today. Hope you enjoy the next two chapters and please R&R and I'll see you at the bottom of the page. **

**POV: Lucy, Natsu**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

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I look down at the schedule in my hand that grandfather gave me this morning as I walk around through the crowded halls looking for my class. A few students bump into me making me wince at the pain coming from my injuries and I start to question myself on why I decided to come to school so soon. I mean, my wounds haven't healed completely and they hurt every time I move around, but school is much more important and I can't fall back on my grades, at least that's what I keep on telling myself.

"Hey Lu," I hear someone call out and turn to find Levy waving her hand as she jumps up trying to look over the heads of everyone around her. I wave back at her to show that she caught my attention and she quickly rushes toward me with an arm wrapped around a stack of books she probably just got out of the library, "Didn't think you'd be at school today," she says a little winded while giving me a small gentle hug that I return.

"You know me, no amount of damage can keep me from studying," I say halfheartedly and she smiles while nodding and rolling her eyes, "Hey, do you think you can help me find my class, I'm kind of lost," I say handing her my schedule while rubbing the back of my head sheepishly. This is actually been the first time I've ever seen this school and even though there is a virtual map online I never took the time to check it out. Now I'm paying for it.

"Sure," she says taking the paper from me and looking it over with a smile, "You have homeroom with me and three other classes including lunch," she hands me back my schedule and I smile thankful that I'll at least know someone in my first class, "Do you want to head to class now?" she asks fixing her bag on her shoulder and shifting the books over to her free hand.

"Yeah, let's go," I say following her as she leads the way down the hall where I had previously come from. I mentally slap myself seeming as I had passed down this hall like a gazillion times and not once was I able to find the stupid class on my own.

As we walk down the hall I notice a group of guys nearby that seem to be laughing at something hilarious. Among the group of teens I notice Gray leaning against the wall with his foot propped against it seeming to have lost his shirt somewhere nearby. He's talking to a tall muscular guy that looks like he's on steroids with spiked white hair and a scar running right under his right eye over his cheek bone and ending close to his earlobe. Next to him is also another, somewhat less muscular than the previous, guy with long slicked black hair. He is completely covered in piercings wherever you may look and his hard red eyes could scare even death himself. I look away from him immediately noticing pink hair and find Natsu's hard gaze on me as we walk by the group.

The guys seem to notice and all turn to look at us as we pass by them and I quickly look away feeling somewhat caught. I keep my eyes forward so as not to trip over anyone and the entire time I feel their gazes on us which makes my ears burn in embarrassment. It isn't until we start turning a corner when I look back to find all four boys still glaring my way and I instantly duck feeling a cold chill run up and down my spine.

Geeze, what is wrong with these people.

The bell then rings and we eventually get to the right class as I stand in the front next to my homeroom teacher, Gildarts Clive, as we watch all the students file in. I watch all the students that walk in finding Erza, Lisanna, Gray, the two guys from earlier, Yukino, and Natsu all walk in taking their seats. I look at Yukino but she keeps her head down seeming to avoid my gaze and then I find dark amber eyes looking at me. Natsu gives me a small smile from the back of the room near the windows and I duck my head feeling my cheeks burn.

What a jerk. First he glares at me in the middle of the hall as if I was some sort of criminal and now he's smiling at me as if we were the best of friends. Seriously, what is wrong with that guy?

Looking up at Mr. Clive I notice his hair is a sort of orange and it's slicked back reaching just below his neck. It's a much darker shade of orange than Loke's hair and he also has a stubbly beard making his appearance look almost lazy. His dark black eyes scan the room as he writes down something on a piece of paper until the last bell rings before he stands up straight and addresses the class.

"Alright class settle down," Mr. Clive says yelling over the roar of the entire class, "As you all know," he starts once the room is quiet, "We have a new student. Her name is Lucy Heartfelia and she will be attending this class from now on. I want you all to make her feel welcome," he then slams his hands down on the desk and eyes what seem to be most of the boys in the class before saying, "And on no occasion must she fall victim for any of your lame excuse for pranks, get it?" the room appears to have silenced completely and a dark aura seems to be emanating from all around him making me shiver in fear. Everyone, even the girls, nod quickly and he smiles seeming to be pleased, "Alright then, now that that's been cleared, you may take your seat behind Ms. Mcgarden," he tells me and I quickly head over to my seat instantly noticing that it's the seat right. In. Front. Of. NATSU!

As I sit down I make sure to divert my eyes from him as I slide into my seat feeling his heavy gaze on my back the entire morning. I try to pay attention as Mr. Clive goes on with his geometry lesson talking about the basic information about shapes but the entire time I can feel Natsu's gaze lingering on me making me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. At one point during the lesson I even turn to find Natsu looking at me confirming my suspicions. I quickly dodge his gaze and before I know it the bell for lunch rings and I sigh in relief. I felt like I was going to explode if I had to stay sitting down still for another hour.

Rummaging through my bag Levy turns in her seat holding her lunch bag in her hand seeming about ready to leave, "Where do you want to eat lunch Lu?" she asks just as I hear the seat behind me squeal and I turn to watch Natsu stand up and head toward the door with his hands stuffed deep within the pockets of his pants. He seems to be a bit annoyed and somehow I have a feeling it's because of me, "Lucy?"

"Oh I don't know, where do you usually eat your lunch," I ask waving my hand in front of my face a bit embarrassed that I got caught gawking.

Levy looks at the door a bit skeptical but quickly puts on a bright smile saying, "Well I usually eat outside with the gang. Say, do you want to go?" she asks already standing up.

"In this heat," I practically deadpan, "It's freaking boiling outside." Levy laughs as she takes my arm and tugs me on after her and I follow a bit unwillingly.

We head on outside toward a picnic table that sits under the shade of a large sakura tree and I notice a few people already sitting down. Mostly everyone who went to visit me at the hospital, excluding both Yukino and Natsu, are sitting down eating and chatting with each other. As we grow closer I notice a girl with cornflower blue hair, pale skin, and dark piercing navy blue eyes. I quickly recognize her as Juvia, the girl that had been talking with Natsu on the day I was discharged from the hospital.

"Hey everyone," Levy chimes while sitting in the empty seat next to Erza in front of Lisanna and places her lunch bag onto the table while everyone greets us.

I timidly sit between Levy and Erza feeling a bit intimidated with being around so many people. Truth is I didn't have that many friends over at Crocus making me a bit of a loner. I had had Loke when I was little but then he moved away and a few years ago I met Levy at a bookstore when she was visiting the great capital. We spent a few days together traveling around Crocus making me her guide and it had kept me occupied while my father was out at Oak Town doing some trading business as usual. Coincidentally Levy lived in Magnolia and after she went back home we made it a thing to stay in touch with each other making us both real good friends.

I look up at Gray who is sitting in front of me and he is eating half of his bologna sandwich. To his right is Juvia and I notice her glaring at me before she looks away taking a huge bite out of her apple. To Gray's left is Lisanna and she's in a deep conversation with Levy seeming to be talking about the upcoming exams before summer break.

"You didn't bring anything to eat Lucy?" Erza asks looking down at my empty hands which are tucked between my knees as I sit there feeling a bit out of place.

"Didn't your grandfather make you anything to eat?" Levy asks while covering her food preventing Gray from stealing any of it.

Scratching my good cheek I nod sheepishly, "Yeah he did, only I forgot it on the kitchen table this morning," I say ducking my head, "But I'm not all that hungry so that's ok," and to contradict me my stomach growls so loud that everyone stares at me shocked. I clutch at my stomach a bit embarrassed and everyone laughs making my cheeks burn.

How embarrassing.

* * *

Biting into my food I notice the group of students down by the sakura tree laughing. A few of the students offer their newest member some food which she graciously denies before accepting a slice of bologna sandwich from the ice prick. The blonde gets a nasty look from Juvia but doesn't seem to notice as she eats her food watching the others intently.

"Isn't that the new girl," Gajeel asks leaning onto the fence of the roof looking down at the chattering group. I nod taking a sip of my water while looking up at the deep blue sky a bit bored, "Do you think she's one of them?"

Putting down my bottle of water and wiping my mouth I look at Gajeel and then down at the laughing group noticing the blonde smiling. I smile while standing up from the bench I was sitting at while gathering all my things up and heading toward the door, "No, she's just another regular,"

"Are you sure?" I stop as I open the door that leads to the stairwell from the roof and pause at his statement while looking back at him.

"Positive," and with that I close the door behind me without another word.

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**Hope You enjoyed. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's The Second Chapter For Today. **

* * *

"You live on Fairy Hills don't you," Erza asks as I put my books away in my locker as students walk toward the entrance of the school since classes are already over for the day. I nod curiously eyeing her, "Mind if I walk with you, it gives us both the chance to get to know each other more, I mean unless someone was going to come and pick you up,"

I smile while pulling on my bag onto my arm, "Sure, beats walking alone," I answer and we walk on toward home. As we leave the tall building I turn over to the red haired beauty and say, "I didn't know that you lived in Fairy Hills," and she turns to look at me surprised before nodding, "How long have you been living there?"

She thinks for a bit before answering, "I've been living there since Headmaster Makarov opened the dorms, along with a few other students here in Magnolia," she looks up at the sky with a distant look in her large brown eyes, "My childhood had been a bit messed up when I was younger. I had been kidnapped when I was young along with many other children and treated like a slave for about three years. I was saved by a man who called himself Grandpa Rob and was taken under his care. He brought me here to Magnolia and introduced me to Makarov who took me in soon after Rob passed away that very year. I've been here ever since,"

"That's terrible," I say a bit speechless, "Does that mean you were a part of the group of kids that were kidnapped and taken to an island named the Tower of Heaven," I ask and she nods. I look down feeling my heart ache as a memory flashes against my mind, "My cousin Jellal had been among the group of children that had been taken," I murmur, "He was saved from the island unharmed other than a few broken memories and that horrible tattoo that now marks his face forever reminding him of that horrible past."

"I know, I met Jellal within the Tower of Heaven. He's one of the few people that made that place anywhere near bearable to live in the years that we did," she says seeming to hold her left eyes, "I barely escaped the island without losing my right eye, thankfully Rob was quick to get me to a hospital and my eye was saved,"

From there we walk the rest of the way toward home in silence and all the while I begin to wonder if everyone else within Fairy Hills has had a past just as horrible as Erza's. I know that most of my family members have had terrible pasts as well and every time I hear their heart retching stories it takes all of my will to keep myself from crying. Even now that I found another victim from the Tower of Heaven I can do anything but keep my emotions under control.

A few years ago, around the northern cities in Fiore, a dark cult went around kidnapping children and burning down homes as they went. Incidentally Jellal had been taken among the various groups of children and was missing for well over four years before all the children were found on an island just off of the famous Akane beach, "Well after Jellal had been rescued it took him to readjust to living a normal life again. I remember clearly the night he was rescued; his family had brought him over to my home in Crocus. When I saw him that time I had been hiding behind my mother too nervous to go near the new house guests seeming as I had never really met some of my mother's family members," I say grabbing my hands behind my back remembering everything clearly as Erza turns to look at me, "At the time Jellal had been wearing an emotionless mask and would not smile for any given reason. He would stare off into space with a distant look in his eyes and there were times where I would hear him murmuring in his sleep. He wouldn't talk to anyone and he even ignored his little sister when she wanted to play with him. There was even a time when Jellal had gotten mad and tried to cut off the tattoo from his face with a knife he took from the kitchen," Erza looks forward intently listening to me, "He had run around the house waving the knife and trying to keep us all away from him yelling at the top of his lungs on how he hated the tattoo so much. His mother warned him that if he tried to remove the tattoo that way he would lose his eye as well. He froze just as he was about to touch the tip of the knife to his face and started crying,"

"He started crying," Erza asks surprised and I nod.

"He kept on yelling that it wasn't fair for him to keep his eye while she had lost her own. We asked him who but he only started screaming even more continuing to wave the knife around. It wasn't until Wendy had gotten hurt while trying to stop him that he snapped out of his reverie and from then on he's done everything to get over the island and the horrors he went through. There are times where he still stares off into deep thought, but he smiles more often than most,"

"Has he ever mentioned who he was talking about," she asks and I shake my head, "Well this is where we part our ways," Erza says and when I look up I notice that we're standing right in front of the dorm house, "I'll see you at school tomorrow," she waves and heads toward the entrance to the building. It isn't until then that I notice a gauze wrap wrapped around her ankle and how she limps a bit every time she puts pressure on that foot.

Thinking I suddenly remember something and call out to her, "He used to say something about scarlet hair," she stops dead on her tracks and turns to look at me, "It was you, wasn't it?" She smiles sadly before she disappears behind the closed door and I stand there knowing very well that she's the girl Jellal had mentioned.

I head on over toward home when I hear a door open behind me and I find Natsu walking out of the building and heads toward the street. He catches me looking at him and he waves at me with a smile before a shiny black car stops in front of him and his smile disappears. He quickly enters the car and they drive off just as quickly leaving me a bit dumbfounded and curious

What is up with that boy?

"Hey Princess, did you get out of school already," I turn and find Loke walking toward me with a wide grin on his face. I nod just as he gets to me, "Say, why don't I take you out for ice-cream. It's the perfect weather for some don't you think and that way we can catch up more with each other," he says already leading me toward the main road that leads into town without giving me a chance to answer.

Fairy Hills is up near a hill surrounded by an expanse of forest that provides plenty of shade while walking. It's within a mile away from the school excluded away from town which takes a little longer to get to walking or riding a bike.

I allow Loke to lead me down the road toward a shiny silver car parked just outside the gates of the property. He opens the passenger side of the can and I climb in feeling the leather seats burn my arms and legs a bit. I clip on my seat belt just as Loke climbs into the driver's seat quickly turning on the car and the air conditioner. He drives down the road toward town and I watch the scenery outside travel past us as trees become buildings and dirt roads become cemented streets.

"So, how are you liking Magnolia so far," Loke asks parking in front of South Gate Park.

He climbs out and goes around the car opening the door for me, "It's ok, though I didn't get that much of a good first impression," I say as I take his hand allowing him to help me out of the car.

He laughs tucking my arm in his as he leads me toward the ice-cream stand, "I bet you didn't, so what about school?" we reach the ice-cream stand and he orders two cones, one vanilla and the other strawberry, and hands me the strawberry cone before leading us toward a bench.

"It was alright for the first day. Made a couple of acquaintances as well with a few classmates," I mutter eating my ice-cream as I watch some kids play ball a few feet away joyously laughing and chasing one another. I smile remembering when I would play ball with Loke as kids. I always lost and would trip and fall hurting myself every single time.

"What, no friends?" Loke jokes rubbing the top of my head making me blush and I shake my head while continuing to eat my ice-cream which is quickly melting with the heat running down my hand and I watch the pink liquid trail down my arm leaving a sticky trail. I continue eating the ice-cream as Loke wraps his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him feeling the comfort of being with him soothing.

Feeling a pair of eyes on me I look up over the hill from where I'm sitting at and find Natsu leaning on the hood of the car he had driven off earlier on. He seems to be glaring our way, his usual amber eyes burning black from where I can see him and for a moment he even seems to be dangerous. Kind of like one of those hoodlums you find at night ready to beat you down for your money.

"No," I simply answer finishing my cone and wiping my hands with the napkin that came with the ice-cream and then look back to find Natsu still glaring at us, "At least not yet,"

* * *

Thanks to all the people who followed, favorited,and reviewed. I hope you all enjoyed the chapters.

If you're enjoying my story so far please favorite, follow, and review - remember that reviews are a writer's candy - and if you have any questions or ideas that you'd like to see put in please PM me and I'll gladly add it in.

Until next time my lovelies.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's chapter 9. Please R&R and I'll see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

"No lunch again Lucy," Erza asks while looking at me with a disapproving look. I shake my head keeping my eyes on my book that I just recently started reading, "What's your excuse this time?"

Looking up I find the others staring at me with the same disapproving look and I fight the urge to duck my head, "I dropped it on the way here and a car ran over it," I say while sweatdropping. It sounds farfetched but it is the truth, "I was walking on my way to school when I tripped on a rock dropping my lunch onto the street when a car drove by and ran over it," I mumble keeping my head down as I stare down at my lap. It's been a week since I started school and not once have I had a decent lunch because of my clumsiness.

"The doctor won't like hearing that you haven't been eating lunch when you go and see him today," Levy comments while taking a bite of her sandwich next to me.

"Is he checking your injuries," Gray asks curiously sitting across from me and I turn to look over my shoulder feeling someone looking at me. I turn and find Natsu turning and walking into the school with his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his uniform pants.

He hasn't talked to me once since I saw him that time at the park when I was with Loke. I still feel his gaze on me during class but whenever I turn to look at him he looks away seeming both bored and angry as I had done something bad. I've tried to get the courage to talk to him but every time I try he disappears. He's not getting away this time.

shaking my head I place my bookmark in my book before closing it and stuffing it into my bag, "No, every so often I have to get checked up for my anemia," I say while standing up and swinging my bag onto my arm.

"You have anemia?" Lisanna asks and I nod while climbing out of my seat, "Is it severe," she asks again, her small fragile face tainted with worry along with the others.

Waving my hands in front of me I smile trying to ease the tension in the air, "It's alright, it's only a mild form of anemia, I'll be perfectly fine as long as I take care of myself," turning to leave before they can say anything more I say over my shoulder, "I'm going to go and finish up on my homework. I'll see you all in class," and without another word I make my way toward the schools entrance hoping to see if I can catch up with Natsu.

By the time I enter the school I look around to find the hallway on either side to be completely empty and eerily quiet. I stand there a few minutes wondering where he could be when I remember seeing him up on the roof a few times eating lunch with the two other boys I had seen on my first day here. I found out their names were Gajeel Redfox and Elfman Strauss, Lisanna's older brother. They're not that friendly and not once have I tried talking to them or vice versa, but I have noticed that they always seem to be together whenever I see them. Gray hangs out with them as well but tends to eat lunch with us instead of them. I have been meaning to ask why but have not gotten the chance so far.

Giving up on searching for Natsu, I turn to head toward the library where I spend much of my free time with Levy when I hear something crash up on the second floor. With curiosity getting the best of me I head toward the stairs climbing them on toward the second floor.

As I'm climbing the stairs to the second floor I hear some shouting and laughing just above me and when I get to the second floor landing a boy with blonde hair crashes right into me. I take a step back to regain my balance on instinct making my foot slip below me and as I fall I try to grab hold of the railing realizing too late that I'm not going to make it. With a final cry I shut my eyes tight covering my face with my arms before I sail down the long flight of stairs feeling the edges of the steps dig into my exposed skin hitting my back injuries. My arms and back take most of the damage and even then I hit my head a couple of time

Crying out with every hit I take I hear someone call out my name just as I hit the main floor landing on my shoulder with a deafening thud. I open my eyes finding the room tilting and doubling around me as darkness surrounds my vision threatening to take me under. Through the ringing in my ears I hear yelling and I tilt my head toward the noise to find a blur of blonde and pink.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?" someone yells angrily and as my vision slowly comes into focus I notice that Natsu is holding up a blonde boy by the collar of his shirt, his eyes burning like a wildfire, uncontrollable.

"It was an accident, she came out of nowhere and I crashed into her. Before I knew it she was tumbling down the stairs," the boy says, his voice shaking in fear as he tries to make Natsu release his death grip on him.

Not liking how things are turning out I call out to the enraged teen, "Nat-su," it comes out in an inaudible whisper, but somehow Natsu hears it. He drops the boy and races toward my side kneeling beside me, his angered expression replaced with worry.

"Lucy," he whispers urgently holding my hand in his and resting his free hand on my head, "Lucy, can you hear me," I nod slowly feeling my head throb along with the rest of my body and I hear him sigh before his voice turns anxious, "Lucy, you're bleeding," and before I can tell him that I'm fine he tucks both hands under me and lifts me up in one swift movement making me cringe in pain, "Don't worry Lucy, I'll get you to the hospital as soon as I can," he grunts before racing down the hall.

I clutch onto him with all of my might while gritting my teeth feeling every small bump strike me like a sharp knife all over my body. Tears leak out of my eyes large and hot and at one point I even cough out blood. Before I know it we're in a car, the scent of fresh leather assaulting my nose overpowering the smell of what must be my own blood.

Natsu's warm arms hold onto me as the car rumbles to life before screeching down the asphalt toward the hospital, "Natsu, it hurts," I choke out feeling more tears stream down my face and his hold on me tightens a bit reassuringly.

"Shh, it's ok. We're almost at the hospital, you just have to hang in there a little longer," he murmurs into my ear while wiping my face with his shaking hand.

"I hope that you know how much it's gonna cost ya for the damage on my seats," a deep gruff voice says from the driver's seat in front of us. It's unfamiliar but I might have a wild guess as to who it could be.

"Shut up and keep driving," Natsu roars and I feel the car lurch forward even faster making my already hammering heart sink further into the confines of my chest.

By the time we reach the hospital my focus and visibility is close to zero and I hear Mirajane call out my name before I completely black out into a numbing darkness.

* * *

**Well that happened. Lucy bumped into Sting BTW and he will be mentioned later on in the story along with Rogue.**

**Shout outs**

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**SkyFairies - Glad you enjoyed that last chapter. Here was more of Natsu's bravado and I hope you enjoyed it.**

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**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

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**Until next time my lovelies.**


	10. Chapter 10

**There's a little more mystery and bit of NaLu so please R&R, enjoy, and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

The sound of crashing waves and chirping seagulls is all around me along with the deep pungent scent of the salty sea air. There is so much light from the sun pouring around me as I cover my eyes searching along the streets of a familiar town. It's humid out and not a single cloud in the sky to cover over the blasted sun but I continue to walk and search fearfully feeling myself grow more panicked with each passing second. I continue to search down the cobblestone path searching for what I lost.

* * *

I open my eyes to hear the slow beeping of what must be a nearby heart monitor. My vision is hazy and the room I'm in is all too bright to allow me to see correctly as I blink trying to focus my vision. My body is sore all over and it takes me a few minutes to remember what had happened when the flashbacks assault me almost instantly making my head throb from where I must have hit it when I fell.

"She's stable with just a few bruises and a minor concoction. Her previous wounds reopened during the fall giving the reason for the blood, but other than that she's alright," a feminine voice whispers from somewhere to my left. I turn to find a tall elderly woman who seems to be around her mid-eighties and she's talking to my grandfather who has his back to me.

She's fairly tall and her pink hair, a little lighter than Natsu's hair color, is tied up into a neat bun with two small moon shaped pins and two bangs of hair frame her face. Her eyes are a light shade of red that hold a bit of sadness to them and she has a beauty mark on the left side of her face just below her mouth. She's wearing a white lab coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck.

The doctor looks up at me after whispering something that I can't hear and Makarov turns following her gaze toward me, "Lucy, you're awake," he says surprised walking toward me along with the doctor, "How are you feeling," Makarov asks taking my hand in his as gently as he can almost as if I were to break like a glass doll.

"I'm fine, just a little sore," say while sitting up feeling my muscles scream out in pain making me wince, "How long have I been out," I ask clutching my head where it throbs from where I probably hit it when I fell down the stairs.

"Not long, only a couple of hours have passed," Doctor Porlyusica, as said on her badge, says as she checks the monitors around me and writing into her notepad, "You weren't seriously injured and other than your previous wounds reopening you're just fine. You'll be in observation for a few days and until then I hope you make yourself comfortable and stay out of trouble," she finishes writing in her notepad before leaving the room without another word.

"You really had us in a scare there Lucy," grandfather says tugging on my arm, "We all rushed here as soon as we found out what happened. They've been waiting in the lobby for you to wake up but I've sent them all home a while ago," He's probably talking about everyone I know in Magnolia. He moves to sit in the nearby chair that's right next to my bed.

Once he's seated he crosses his arms across his chest and bows his head with his eyes closed almost as if he were sleeping. Truth is that he actually looks tired and worn out from where he sits in his seat. I turn to the window and notice that it's dark outside with a full moon shining out along with twinkling stars dusted across the night sky.

Night sky.

"Grandfather, you should go home," Makarov looks up at me ready to argue but I cut him off, "It's late and you have work tomorrow. Besides, if you sleep on that chair you're going to hurt your back and then you'll be the one who ends up in here instead of me," with a grunt he leans back into his chair telling me that he is unwilling to move, "Come on, don't be stubborn," I laugh when he continues to sit in his seat unmoving seeming to be muttering something under his breath.

Grumbling he stands up and walks on over next to me, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay. I just don't want you to be alone," he says taking my hand in his again making me smile. How long had it been that my father had said those very words to me. Truth is that every time I would end up in the hospital he would say the same thing up until a few years ago. Now he would only stay for a while and then he'd leave for the night without another word.

"I'll be fine, nothing's going to happen while you're away," I reassure him, "I doubt that I'll find a way to suffocate myself in my sleep," I joke and he blanches seeming to be even more worried than before, "I'm just kidding,"

He lingers around the room for a while longer up until Laxus arrives to take him home and soon enough I'm all alone in my room with nothing but the sound of the machines surrounding my bed keeping me company. The room is surprisingly cool and the bed I'm on is a bit uncomfortable and lumpy. The ivory walls have a few pictures hanging on the wall which hold paintings of fruits and scenic views of mysterious forests and glistening lakes.

Just when I'm about to settle down to try and sleep I hear the a knock on the door before it opens and in walks in a boy my age carrying a large bouquet of flowers, "Natsu," surprised, I watch as the teen walks toward me a bit solemnly, "what are you doing here at this time of night," I ask and he only smiles sheepishly while sitting down in the chair beside my bed, the one grandfather had been sitting in earlier.

"I came to see how you were doing," he says while handing me the large bouquet, "These are for you by the way," I take the large ornate flowers feeling their weight on my arms and I begin to wonder how much they cost him.

"They're beautiful," I murmur while gently stroking the soft petal of one of the Asiatic Lilies that's surrounded by a few Gerberas, Chrysanthemums, Carnations, and Lisianthus making the arrangements pop in color, "Thank you," he sits there a little shy, his cheeks dusted a light pink, and it's so odd on him since he's decked out in black, other than his white scarf that he never seems to take off.

"So how did this happen," he asks while looking at the heart machine just beside my bed sounding as if this weren't the first time that this has happened. Well this isn't the first time that it's happened and really this is only the second time he sees me in a hospital bed because of my clumsiness, but the point is that he makes it sound as if he's known me for years and that him showing up to see me is just another routine of his.

I'm compelled to answer, seeming as I had been looking for him at the time of my misfortune, but somehow I feel compelled to keep it from him, "I saw you go into the building during lunch and I decided to try and follow you, but by the time I reached the school you were gone," I say ducking my head so that my hair covers my shame painted face, "I had then decided to go to the library when I couldn't find you and then I heard a crash on the second floor so I got curious and decided to investigate, that's when I crashed into that boy and fell down the stairs," I mumble feeling my ears burn in shame.

He stays quiet for some time and once I feel too much time pass I look up at him only to notice his glare and oddly I feel like a child again when father used to scold me for something I did that I knew I shouldn't have done. It's actually really unnerving when he does that.

Sighing deeply, he sits back in his seat while closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest, "Well I guess it's my fault for not finishing telling you all the rules," he mutters exasperated.

"Wait, there's more?"

"Yeah, it's why their called RULES with an 's'," he says making it sound as if it were common sense, which it actually is, but how was I supposed to know, "And you broke two of those rules which led you to where you are now," he says almost smugly.

"Which are…"

"Rule number two," he says while pointing two fingers at me for emphasis, "Don't go snooping around, and rule three," he then points three fingers at me and I really get the urge to grab onto his fingers and just break them, but I hold back knowing that he could overpower me and I'd end up getting hurt instead, "Don't follow your curiosity,"

I look down at the bouquet in my arms oddly annoyed and at the same time mystified. What is it with these strange rules and why is it that they have to be followed. I didn't really believe him when he first told me about them, I still don't. I mean, it could have been just a coincidence that I had crashed into that kid and fell down that flight of stairs. Breaking the rules had nothing to do with it, or did it?

"Don't worry Luce, as long as you stay out of trouble you'll be just fine," I turn to look at him and his face is only a mere inches, no, centimeters away from my own that I have to fight the urge to jerk away knowing very well that I'd probably fall off the bed and bring down all the machines I'm hooked up to with me, "But I promise that if you ever get yourself into trouble I'll be there to catch you when you fall," he sounds so sincere and his dark golden eyes swim with assurance that I can't help but feel myself blush madly. He then leans his forehead onto mine and I'm frozen in place with my heart hammering a thousand miles a second.

When he moves away I let out a breath I had not known that I had been holding as I watch him walk away towards the door, "Y-you know that if you k-keep on having those weird mood swings around me we'll never become friends," I call out to him just as he reaches the door.

He turns around with a hard expression and then gives me a mocking smile while saying, "That's the point," and for some odd reason I feel a pain in my chest when he closes the door behind him.

* * *

**There was chapter ten. Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Shout Outs**

**Thanks to all my favorites...**

**- mari1999jimenez**

**To my followers...**

**- TheLibraryWitch**

**- ShadowHunter11**

**- mari1999jimenez**

**And to my reviews...**

**Sakura Frost - I'm glad you liked it. I hope you liked this chapter as well.**

**ShadowHunter11 - I know It's a bit confusing, and yes it's supposed to be that way. It'll get a bit more confusing as it goes along but in the end all confusion should clear up... I hope, and I'm glad that you're enjoying my story so far.**

**SkyFaeries - You shall all have more soon.**

**Coolanime14 - Glad you liked it.**

**So at the moment I am going to be a bit busy and my updating may be a bit slow since my writing has gotten slow, but I will try my best to be on time and get more amazing chapters for all you amazing readers.**

**Anywho, If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember that reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put in don't be afraid to PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's chapter 11. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

A slight wind passes by and when I look up from the book I'm reading I find my class running by in a pack sweating and panting. They run around the track and I keep an eye on them feeling the heat of the overhead sun a bit unbearable as I continue to watch the pack pass by be again.

I search through the crowd and it doesn't take that long for me to realize what, or more like who, I'm looking for. I spot a fluff of pink hair off on the side under the shade of one of the local Magnolia trees along with Gajeel, Elfman, and Gray. They're all smiling and pushing each other around before Erza storms towards them and begins to yell. I can almost see a malevolent aura surround her as all four boys race around the track sneaking glances at the red-headed demon, as some students have dubbed her around the school. They boys pass by me one by one with Gray the only one to smile at me as he passes by. I smile back and when I turn to look at Natsu he just passes by me as if I weren't even there. His words from the night he went to go visit me at the hospital a week ago ring in my head.

Sighing, I gather my things and head toward the school following my class and as I look down at the ground so that I don't trip on some unfortunate pebble I can't fail to notice that a few of my classmates have gauze wraps wrapped around either their ankles – kind of like Erza had – or their arms, and some I could tell had a gauze wrapped around their torsos hidden under their shirts.

"Hey Lu, we're all going to go and change. Do you mind waiting for us to eat lunch," Levy pants once she reaches me placing her hand lightly on my shoulder. Behind her are Erza and Lisanna who are all sweating and panting from the long run while looking at me expectantly.

Smiling I shake my head and head off toward the bench we usually sit at, "I'll meet you at the picnic table," I say and she smiles. Before she can say anything else I lift up a small bag I bought from home with me and say over my shoulder, "Don't worry, I brought lunch today,"

"It's about time you did," Erza huffs crossing her arms across her chest and I simply smile as I watch them all file into the girls locker room.

Once I'm alone I head toward the bench where we sit at lunch when I notice someone is already there. When I get closer to the table I notice that it's Juvia and without a word to her I sit in my usual seat and pull out my lunch that Laxus made me. It's mostly a tuna sandwich with some fruit and a granola bar on the side.

Just when I'm opening my water bottle a somber voice asks, "Where are the others," I look around but find no one but Juvia around and it takes me about a minute to realize that it was Juvia who had asked me the question.

"Oh, um, they're in the locker rooms changing out of their gym clothes," I say a bit hesitantly feeling a bit weird to hear Juvia speak. The only time I heard her talk was when I discovered her and Natsu talking in the halls of the hospital some time back. I eat lunch with her every day since I got to school and all this time she has not directed a single word to me at all. She does glare at me from time to time when Gray talks to me and sometimes even mutters something under her breath, "Juvia," said girl looks up at me and I can feel her dark navy eyes bore into me, "Do you hate me,"

She looks taken aback and after a few seconds of silence shakes her head and looks down at her food in front of her, which is mostly eaten already, "I don't necessarily like you, but I don't hate you," she says still looking down at her food, "I'm not much of a talker,"

"Yeah, I've noticed," Opening my water bottle, I take a sip of my water and look over at the way I had come from to find Natsu heading our way. I hear a crunching sound to my left and find Juvia practically crushing her water bottle and her eyes have hardened with seeming anger and disapproval, "Natsu what…"

"What the hell do you want," Juvia growls while slamming her hand down on the table looking just about ready to scratch Natsu's eyes out.

Natsu smirks looking cocky and crosses his arms across his chest looking smug as he looks at me and then at Juvia, "I need to talk to you," he says nonchalantly and that seems to tick Juvia off even more. Before Juvia can say anything to him he cuts in with, "We found another one," as if a light switch were flipped, Juvia's composure suddenly changes to that of surprise and she looks at me her expression looking almost worried. He must have said something he wasn't supposed to and by now the warning bells in my head have gone off once again and I feel like I'm not supposed to be hearing any of this conversation.

"We'll talk about it after school," Juvia mutters and Natsu nods looking back at where he came from to find the others heading our way, "You should probably leave,"

"Yeah, I hear you," with one last glance toward us Natsu heads on toward the school before saying, "See you later Luce," and deep down I know that he had been tempting me.

The stupid jerk was testing me.

* * *

**This was more like another filler but trust me that by the next chapter the actual plot of the story starts coming together.**

**Shout Outs**

**Thanks to all the fantastic favorites...**

**- richgirl555cub**

**- CatsCradle22**

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**To my fabulous followers...**

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**And to my fantabulous reviewer...**

**SkyFairies - He does love her, only his secret prevents him from showing his feelings. More will be explained in the upcoming chapters.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	12. Chapter 12

**How was your week, hope it was good. Here's chapter 12 for you this fine Saturday afternoon. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Lucy, Narrator**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

"Turn to page forty-eight. Your homework will be all the questions on that page," Mr. Clive announces while writing our assignment on the board. I start on it since we still have time to kill before we leave for the day.

"Geez dad, why are we getting homework? It's bad enough we have to study for tomorrow's exams, and to pile homework onto that, what gives?" Cana Alberona, daughter to Gildarts Clive, asks looking mad as she crosses her arms across her chest with a huff.

Said girl has beautiful long brown hair that is tied up into a high pony tail with two strands of hair framing the side of her face. Her white uniform shirt is slightly open making her show much more cleavage than she's supposed to and a bandage wraps around her left forearm possibly covering up a wound. Her large brown eyes are trained on her father almost defiantly and he glares back at her looking almost tired at his daughter's antics.

Cana is one of the more rowdy people in the class and has at times come over to our table during lunch only to disappear later with some upperclassmen to who knows where. She sits across the room near the doorway and is usually passed out when Gildarts is giving his lessons to the class. I've heard several rumors that Cana is a heavy drinker and that if you get close enough you can even smell the alcohol on her clothing. I haven't gotten close enough to know if the rumor is true and even though some people say she's a bad person to hang around I can't help but feel deep within my heart that she's a nice person.

"What are you looking at," Cana suddenly asks whirling around and looking my way and I freeze a bit embarrassed that she caught me looking at her, "You want to start something Pinky," she sneers and that's when I realize that she isn't looking at me if not the person behind me.

"Pft, as if," Natsu grumbles and when I turn to look at him he's glaring back at Cana with his head resting on the palm of his hand while leaning his arm on the desk looking annoyed and bored, "Why don't you just deal with it like the rest of us and put a sock in it?" Natsu asks moving his gaze toward the window.

"Why don't you go ahead and die?" Her voice sounds challenging but I'm not looking at her so I don't know what her posture is. Natsu, on the other hand, has all of my attention so I notice his hand squeeze into a fist.

"CANA!" Gildarts's voice booms angrily through the room like a ringing gong and the room is completely silent and Cana flinches in her seat, "That's enough. You're getting homework and that's the end of it,"

After that the bell rings and everyone quickly grabs their things and rushes out of the room. Cana stays in her seat continuing to glare at Natsu as he calmly picks up his bag and heads for the exit keeping is eyes trained away from the glaring girl. As I watch this I oddly get the sense that the scene that just happened after Cana's complaint had nothing to do with homework we were assigned. The malice in Cana's previous words and the anger tainting her eyes now as Natsu completely disappears into the crowd out in the hall is a bit suspicious.

_Don't follow your curiosity._

Shaking my head I continue to put away my books inside my bag when Levy stands up and turns to look at me with a nervous smile, "Hey Lu, do you mind if we come over to your place to study. We wanted to make a study date but the dorm rooms are too small and the Rec-center is way too crowded," Levy asks and that's when I notice the others behind her.

"Sure, we can go walking together now if you don't mind," I say and they all nod while heading out the door. When I am close to the door I look over at Cana who's putting away her things and I can't help but ask, "Say, Cana, would you like to come study with us too?" she looks up at me a bit shocked, all anger gone from her face

"I agree," Erza says from behind me, "It's been a while since you last hanged out with us,"

The brunette smiles and nods her head, "Sure, why not," and slips her bag onto her shoulder and follows us out of the room after waving to her dad and telling him that she'd be late for dinner… again.

I look around the group as we head up the road toward Fairy Hills and notice that it consists only girls, seeming as Gray disappeared once the bell rang. Lisanna is up front talking with Levy and Erza while I walk behind with Cana feeling a bit awkward. I still haven't gotten all too used to talking to new people and even though I have already previously met Cana I haven't actually had a conversation with her.

"Your name's Lucy, right?" I turn and find Cana looking at me questioningly and it takes me a moment to understand that she's talking to me so I nod, "So you're the famous Heartfelia that I've been hearing about all around school who moved from the famous Fiore capital," she says fixing her bag onto her shoulder and once again I nod feeling a bit speechless. It doesn't surprise me one bit that she knows so much, I've been common knowledge around the school since both of my recent incidents, "Sorry," she apologizes and I almost trip.

"For what," I ask finally finding my voice and it dawns on me that she must be apologizing about her outburst from earlier, "If it's about earlier it's alright. I'm actually surprised that no one else has had an outburst earlier. From the stories I've heard about Fairy Tail you all seem a bit tamer than I anticipated,"

Cana laughs and nods, "It's because of finals. After tomorrow don't be too surprised if every turn you take there's a brawl," I kind of deadpan at the thought of fights starting once finals end tomorrow.

So much for trying to survive my first month in Fairy Tail.

* * *

The room is partially silent other than that of furious scribbling and the sound of turning paper along with a whisper or two here and there. I look down at everyone who's huddled around the round coffee table sitting in the middle of the room solving equations or reading from a book. I look up at the clock sitting over the inactive fireplace and notice how late it's getting.

Looking back down at my own math problems I hear a knocking coming from the front door and I get up while putting down my things on the couch I was previously sitting on as I move to the small hallway leading to the front door. Opening the door I'm assaulted with the smell of pizza and almost instantly my stomach begins to growl from hunger.

"Did someone order pizza," Loke asks holding a box of pizza towards me as I stare at him a bit dumbly.

"Sorry, wrong house," I smile crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Darn it, thought I got it right this time," he laughs and looks over his shoulder, "What am I going to do with all these boxes then," peeking over his shoulder I find Wendy, Jellal, and Yukino each holding two boxes.

Laughing, I stand to the side allowing them all in and I watch as each person walks toward the living room. Yukino is the last to walk into the house and when she passes me she gives me a small smile without a word and I can't help but feel a bit unsettled with her attitude. I see her everyday at school but every time I try to talk to her she always disappears on me without a word. It's almost as if she's trying to avoid me.

Shaking my head, I close the door behind me and head on toward the living room behind everyone else to find the girls all exclaiming on how relieved they are to see food. Apparently I wasn't the only hungry one around here. As I follow behind Cana, who's talking to Loke and asking him if he had any booze on him, I find from the corner of my eye Jellal and Erza staring at each other seemingly lost to the world.

"It's nice to see you again Erza," Jellal says with a warm smile.

Erza smiles back and I can even find a hint of a blush dusted along her cheeks as she ducks her head nodding, "It-it's nice to see you too," they stay standing there just staring at each other when Cana comes out of nowhere slinging her arms around both Jellal's and Erza's shoulder.

"Geez Jellal, when are you going to ask Miss Scarlet here out on a date," Cana howls out in laughter when Jellal's face turns a beet red from her comment including Erza who has ducked her head far enough for her bangs to cover her face, but her crimson ears tell no lie, "We all know you both like each other, so why not do us all a favor and go out already,"

Behind me I hear Levy mutter, "She has a point," and when I look over at them I find Loke and Lisanna both trying to contain their laughter.

"Wait till Mira finds out about this," Lisanna snorts making Loke laugh even harder.

"_CANA~_" Erza's voice sounds menacing and as I turn to look at her, her eyes seem to be glowing red as a deep dark aura swirls around her almost like tentacles. She's shaking in anger and her fists are clenched so tight her knuckles are a ghostly white.

After that everything's a blur.

Erza tries to strangle Cana but ends up punching Jellal in the process, since Cana ducked behind him, knocking him out completely. After that somehow Levy and Lisanna join in raging an all out war throwing anything they can get their hands on at each other. Wendy, Yukino, and I duck behind one of the couches almost getting hit each by a flying plate which crashes into the nearest wall.

We all watch the scene before us from the safety of our couch and I notice that somehow through the turmoil Gray and Laxus appeared and were now brawling with both Loke and Jellal. I hear laughing next to me and find Yukino covering her mouth trying to control her laughter, "What's so funny?!" I practically screech at her as she continues to laugh.

"It hasn't been that long since Loke, Jellal, and even Laxus have graduated from Fairy Tail Academy and they all act as if they never left," she giggles just as a vase comes flying our way.

"Please don't tell me it gets this bad at school," I whimper holding a pillow over my head and clutching onto Wendy for dear life just as a voice roars, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY HOUSE?!" Making the house shake violently around us.

"Nope," Yukino says with a smile and her words are like a symphony over this chaos, "It gets worse,"

If it were humanely possible, my brain would have exploded like a nuclear bomb. Instead I sat there crying my eyes out while both Wendy and Yukino try to comfort me as the others were being threatened by my grandfather over the destruction of his beautiful home.

What did I get myself into?

* * *

"Thanks for everything. That was the best study session I have ever been to," Cana says as she walks out the door of the Dreyer home, "Tell your grandfather again that I'm sorry we wrecked his living room,"

"I will," Lucy says holding the door open for the brunette, "Hey, are you sure you don't want Laxus to take you home. It is kind of late for you to be home alone," the blonde says with worry.

Cana waves her off while starting to head toward the street, "Don't worry, my house isn't that far," she says fixing her bag onto her shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow Lucy,"

"Yeah, see you ," once the brunette is long gone from view, Lucy closes the door blocking out all the dangers that lurk in the darkness beyond her safe haven.

Meanwhile, down the street, Cana walks muttering to herself on how she didn't have enough to eat or drink, most of all drink. She looks up at the canopy of trees that hangs over the road blocking most the sky allowing streaks of moonlight to filter in through the cracks. A slight gust of wind has her shivering making her wish that she had accepted Lucy's request for Laxus to give her a ride home. Now she has to suffer in the dead of night with nothing but the sound of rustling leaves to accompany her.

Just as she sees her house into view she quickens her pace knowing that the sooner she gets off the street she'll feel much better. She looks around the street feeling as if she's being watched and does everything she can from running the rest of the way. She's also tempted to call out to her father so he can come outside but instead just continues to walk feeling her heart pound erratically in her chest.

Some unusual rustling and falling leaves has her looking up in time to see a dark figure jump from the tree above her with bright red eyes. It lands behind her and covers her mouth with a large hand stifling her scream. She squirms but the figure is just too strong for her to break free and she knows that she's done for.

"Gotcha," a dark familiar husky voice says next to her ear and she feels her heart drop.

What the hell was he going to do to her?

* * *

**From here on the plot should be building up even more and I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**

**Shout Outs**

**Thanks to my fabulous follower...**

**- Thejungle5**

**And to my fabulous reviewers...**

**SkyFairies - I hope this satisfies your reading thirst for now, and there will be more out soon.**

**cassjl - I'm really glad that you're enjoying my story, as for Juvia, yes she will not be a super obsessive creepy stalker. I pretty much prefer her to be a little more down to earth, though she does get a bit jealous, and as for Gajeel and Levy, read the next chapter and you'll find out.**

**CatsCraddle22 - There's was more suspense in this chapter and I hope you liked it.**

**Coolanime14 - If that means you liked the chapter, then I'm glad.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for taking so long to update, but please R&R and I shall explain everything at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

I look across the room at the empty seat just a few rows down feeling my chest tighten in fear. I look down at my exam that sits in front of me but no matter how much I try I can't seem to concentrate and I keep on looking at Cana's empty seat wondering where she could be.

It isn't really that Cana hasn't shown up today that has me worried if not also that both Natsu and Gajeel haven't shown up to class. Also that Gray has had a look of pure irritation on his face all morning and once in a while glares at the empty seat behind me. Gildarts also hasn't been too happy and his usual cheerful self has been replaced with the same emotionless irritated expression as Gray and sits behind his desk staring us all down as we try to finish our exams.

"Alright, pencils down," Gildarts voice booms from across the room making me flinch as I put my pencil down while passing my paper to Levy who takes it and then passes it down to the person in front of her.

I sigh finally glad that this test was over with and that now all I had to think about was lunch and get my mind away from the missing people and the dark electric currents running through the air. I sling my bag onto my arm just as Levy asks, "Ready to go," and I nod following her out of the room toward our usual eating place which is empty other than Erza and Lisanna.

It seems that Juvia hasn't shown up either and Gray disappeared after the bell rang dismissing us for lunch along with Gildarts. I wonder what's going on?

Ignoring my inner battle, I look over at Lisanna who's telling a story on how the tennis team was so close to winning a championship this year. She goes on about how the other team had been cheating in the beginning and then started getting serious towards the end. They had been tied and needed one more shot to win but then she had lost her footing causing her to fall and lose her match.

"Hey Lucy, you should join the tennis or volleyball team next year," Lisanna says eagerly making me choke on my salad.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I mutter wiping my mouth with a napkin, "If you haven't noticed by the bruises covering my entire body, I'm not all that well coordinated to join sports," I say, "Besides, I doubt the doctor would be willing to sign my physical,"

All three girls nod and it ends at that as we all go on and finish our food in silence, well I eat in silence the rest of the girls continue to talk on about who knows what as I drown them out submerging myself into my endless thoughts. I really want to ask them about Cana and the missing boys but I remember the rules Natsu gave me and I can't help but feel a bit paranoid. Especially since I got hurt after breaking two of his precious rules and I really don't want to repeat what happened, even if it was just a coincidence.

"We should all go to the movies!" Levy announces out of the blue forcing me back from my sub-conscience, "We could do it to celebrate the ending of the final exams,"

"Yeah, that would be great," Lisanna smiles, her eyes glistening with joy and excitement.

"I'm in if you all are," Erza says smiling as well, "We can see that new action movie that just came out, unless you all want to watch another movie instead,"

"When should we go?"

"How about tomorrow after school, we can all go home together to get ready and then we can head on toward the theatre," I suggest feeling a bit excited myself. It's been more than half a month and the only places I've been to around town would be South Gate Park, Magnolia Hospital, Fairy Hills, and Fairy Tail Academy. A change of scenery sounds more than good to me.

They all agree as we pack up our things as we head back inside just as the bell rings to resume class.

* * *

The sun pours down from overhead but surprisingly today is a nice cool day. It's still warm out but the cool wind blowing around makes the day a beautiful one as I wait by the bus stop a block away from Magnolia's only movie theatre.

I look around at the people passing by wondering if I got here too early when I find Levy rushing toward me wearing a cute orange dress that ends just above her knees with red outlining, her hair tied up into a high ponytail with her bangs framing the side of her face.

"Did you wait long, Lu?" she asks panting a little as she stops next to me and I shake my head, "Erza and Lisanna say that they're already there, so should we get going?"

"Sure," I follow her toward the theatre dodging a few passerby's who are too busy looking at their phones to move out of the way properly.

We reach the theatre in a matter of agonizing minutes, agonizing because people kept on bumping into me making my injuries hurt, and we instantly find Erza and Lisanna waiting outside of the theatre holding up some tickets for us.

"Took you long enough," Lisanna says handing me a ticket which I take with a small thank you. I look at the ticket when I feel an unfamiliar hand on my shoulder.

I turn with a start to find Gray looking down at me with a smile, "Fancy seeing you here," he says then looking at all the girls beside me.

"Gray, are you here to see the action movie as well," Erza asks and he nods.

"Yeah, Juvia and the guys came with me," as if on cue, the rambunctious mysterious guys and girl I've come to recognize tread through the thick crowd of people toward us.

Juvia is the first to reach us and quickly notices Gray's hand resting on my shoulder and glares but says nothing as she stands beside him keeping her gaze fixed at my original group. The tall black haired pierced-from-head-to-toe teen is the next to show up, Gajeel I believe to be his name who stands awkwardly behind Juvia. I notice him look over the bluenette's head and watch as his face flushes a light pink before he darts his gaze toward the sky not really looking at anything. I turn to find Levy doing the same thing, only her gaze is directed in the other direction with her cheeks tinted a darker shade than Gajeel's. I make myself a mental note to interrogate her about it later.

Elfman joins in sticking close to his younger sister who talks animatedly as we converse with each other, well everyone else converses while I watch still trying to figure out what Gajeel's and Levy's awkward aura meant, if it meant anything at all, when Gray, who has already removed his hand from my shoulder, looks over his own shoulder into the sea of people, "Come on out man, they don't bite,"

I turn to look the way the group came from noticing nothing but strange faces and blurs of clothing of passerby's when I notice something pink emerge from the sea of strangers. Natsu, looking a bit annoyed, walks toward us keeping his hands stuffed deep within the pockets of his jeans while his trademark white scarf conceals the bottom half of his face. He looks tense and a bit nervous as he reaches us and I can't help but feel my heart squeeze. This happens just about every time I see him and I think it started right after his only late night visit to me when I was in the hospital.

"Natsu, it's good to see you came," Lisanna chimes and everyone nods enthusiastically, even though they look a bit tense as well.

Natsu mutters something but no one pays him much attention except, of course, me. I watch as he stands beside Gajeel keeping his gaze on the cemented sidewalk before looking up at me and then quickly looking away. The small pain in my chest tightens a bit more making me feel guilty, even though I didn't do anything wrong. I eventually move my own gaze around the group trying to catch up with whatever conversation everyone is talking about and before I know it someone is tugging at my arm.

Looking up I find Natsu tugging my arm, but his gaze looms over my head and I turn to notice everyone heading into the theatre already. A bit surprised that I had somehow dozed off while standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk. I begin to follow the crowd ahead of me with Natsu when a flash of brown catches my eye, almost calling to me, and I turn feeling everything around me suddenly slow down.

Through the crowd I notice Cana walk right by me so close that if I would have taken a step towards her she would have bumped shoulders with me. I'm about to do just that when a warm hand gently grabs my arm and I turn to find Natsu looking at me with concern, "Are you alright Lucy?" he asks keeping a soft hold onto me as if afraid I might faint or run, I'd probably do the first. Turning around to call out to Cana I find nothing but a now semi-empty sidewalk with no brunette anywhere to be found, "The movie is about to start, we should probably go inside," Natsu says while lightly tugging my arm.

Dazed, I nod and mutter, "Yeah," before allowing him to lead me into the theatre and as we reach the doors I take one last look behind me feeling that something just wasn't right. I look up at Natsu, who's holding the door open for me and looking out into the sea of people with a hard gaze before looking down at me with a cheery smile.

For once his bipolar mood change doesn't affect me in the slightest. Deep in my heart I only worry about Cana and even though it could have been a coincidence something about her seemed off. I keep on mulling what I witnessed as Natsu buys us both some soda and popcorn, against all my protests, and sits right next to me in the theatre. I pay little attention to the movie as I keep on thinking about Cana that before I know it the movie ends and we're all heading out in one large group.

Everyone decides to go out to eat and we head on over to South Gate Park straight at a Hot Dog cart. They all order two each hotdogs for themselves, well most of the girls do while the guys practically get all the food from the poor vendor who has probably never seen teenage boys eat so much, especially when they all end up having their own mini hot dog eating contest. Elfman won by the way.

I sit in a bench not too far away watching them interact feeling a bit depressed. I don't know why exactly, but I can't seem to keep an actual smile on my face for more than a minute at a time. It isn't until Natsu sits next to me lazily that I notice Gajeel and Levy are missing and it doesn't take me long to spot them sitting awkwardly under the tall oak tree that sits smack dab in the middle of the park.

Holding in a giggle I lean into Natsu and he jumps a bit as I whisper, "Do you have any idea what's up with those two?" and he follows my gaze spotting the two instantly.

His mouth puckers a bit as if he's trying to hide a smile and then leans back into the bench resting his hands behind his head as if it were of no importance, "What did I tell you about asking questions," he says dully and it takes all of my will power to keep me from smacking him upside the head. Instead I cross my arms across my chest a bit aggravated.

"Oh come on. This surely doesn't count as one of 'those' questions," I mutter feeling myself unconsciously pout, something I usually have a habit of doing.

"Then why don't you ask her directly?" he yawns snuggling deeper into his seat, "She is your best friend after all, isn't she?"

Grumbling under my breath I stare out at the talking pair wondering if I should keep pestering Natsu or if I should move onto the main source in one go. I keep on debating this as I stand following Natsu to the others who seem to be ready to leave. The sky has darkened a bit and streetlights have started to turn on all around when I notice Gajeel and Levy stand up from under the tall oak. No one is looking at them except for me, which I'm practically on my toes peeking over Natsu's shoulder, when I notice something that has me clutching onto Natsu's shoulder fiercely making him wince and complain.

He asks me what's wrong but I continue to stare at the pair as they reach us and even then I continue to spy at them from behind my new found victim. Everyone heads on toward the street breaking off into smaller groups to head home.

Lisanna leaves with both Gajeel and Elfman while Erza decides to tag along with Levy, Gray, and Juvia and that they'd all go home to Fairy Hills later leaving me dumbfounded with Natsu. It isn't until everyone is gone and Natsu looks down at me questioningly that I feel myself snap like a thousand rubber bands, "I think I might have a small clue as to what's going on between my best friends and your close friend," I sputter out sounding breathless as if I had run an entire marathon, which feels like it because I'm practically panting, my heart rate has increased dramatically, and I'm starting to sweat like crazy.

"Lucy, I think you're having a panic attack. You should sit down and slow your breathing," Natsu urgently says leading me toward a nearby bench but I fight him trying to find the words that won't come, "Lucy, seriously you need to calm….."

"LevyandGajeelkissedwhiletheythoughtnoonewaslookingandnowIthinkthey'regoingout," I say in a breathless rush cutting him off and he freezes staring at me with an unreadable blank expression.

"WHAT?!"

* * *

**So this chapter is dedicated to Cassjl since she was the one who wanted a GaLe pairing in the story, even though this chapter was already written to have that special pairing. There will be more pairings further on, I'm just trying to figure out on whether I should bring them all in or if only a select few. Still debating and it would help if you all would help me out. Who else do you want me to pair up? Please leave a review for that or you can PM me.**

**Anywho, so as for my latest absence I must explain that I have not had a single chance to sit down and post up this chapter for you all. My summer has officially ended since August 4th, even though I don't go back to school until the 25, and it will be hard for me to update anything on time for a while. For those of you who don't know I am in band and at the moment I am going to camp from seven in the morning to nine at night with only a few hours of break in between so I am not in any reach of a computer to update until today. Depending on how hectic this week turns out I might update on time if not don't be expecting a chapter until next Friday or Saturday. I am sorry for this huge delay but I promise to update amazing chapters when I can and don't worry, this isn't permanent so by the end of the month I should be going back to my old schedule.**

**SHOUT OUTS**

**Thanks to all of my fantastic favorites...**

**- shadowX25**

**- FictionDragon**

**- Wyote**

**- Black Night Wolf**

**To my fabulous followers...**

**- SnowAngelSlayerTasha**

**- Black Night Wolf**

**And to my fantabulous reviewers...**

** - I'm glad you like it.**

**SnowAngelSlayerTasha - If your skin is crawling then that must mean I'm doing a good job and that you are enjoying my story. If yes then I'm glad.**

**CatsCraddle22 - Happy to hear you liked it and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.**

**Owl's song - sorry that the beginning was a bit slow but hopefully it will be moving on faster here on out. There will be more Jerza later on in the story and I'm glad to have made your night.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm back! This is chapter 14 and I hope that you all R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

I stare at my _best friend_ from the top of my book, well more like glaring at her, and watch her talk with Lisanna over the upcoming test scores that should be out by tomorrow. I pretend to turn the page in my book and shift my gaze over to Gajeel who's across the room sitting at his desk talking with Gray and Erza looking as bored and annoyed as always. I try to put two and two together wondering how long this has been going on between them when I feel a hand lightly tap my shoulder.

Turning to look behind me I find Natsu leaning over his desk toward me, his face only inches away making me squeak a bit, "If you keep on glaring at them like that you're going to blow your cover," he whispers harshly over the loud roar of the classroom while sneaking a glance at Levy and then at Gajeel, "You're practically breaking rules one through three,"

Rolling my eyes I turn myself all the way around so that now I'm facing him completely, "What if I end up breaking all three rules?" I challenge but he doesn't even flinch.

He smiles knowingly and then holds up four fingers, "Rule number four," I hold in the urge to groan in annoyance, "This is a _really_ important rule in case you break any other rule, which is don't get caught," he whispers then leaning back into his seat tucking his hands behind his head lazily, he looks at me as I stare at him.

_Don't get caught_, how simple is that? He could have given me that rule a long time ago and saved me all that worrying but waited until now when I found out that my best friend might be dating one of the _bad boys_ in school. Although, when I think about it, this case isn't as serious as to what I wanted to investigate previously, something I am still trying to uncover.

With a huff of agitation I turn around in my seat thinking it unnecessary to start a scene so early in the morning. His hand once again grabs my shoulder and just when I'm about to push it away I feel myself falling to the floor. I land on my butt a bit confused as I look up to find a chair fly over my head crashing through the window and that's when I notice the disarray that the room has turned into.

Books, papers, backpacks, pencils, anything else you can think of, goes flying across the room threatening to knock someone out. Scared out of my mind I search around to notice that everyone is fighting with one another throwing blind punches hitting random people and random yelling. I turn to Natsu, who's still sitting next to me, and watch him laugh like a maniac with a weird gleam in his eyes.

He stands suddenly clenching his hands into fists, his amber eyes burning with anticipation, "I'm fired up now," he says before jumping into the brawl of all the students abandoning me without looking back.

I wildly search the room still on the floor until I find a clear path that leads to the nearest door and to safety. Taking in a deep breath I get on my hands and knees and crawl my way through the debris that makes its way into my path. I get hit with a few erasers and notebooks and my hand gets stepped on once. At one point I end up feeling like a soldier out at war crawling around in mud avoiding gunshots and bombs. I even have to crawl over a few unconscious bodies, but I keep on moving unable to fathom on staying a second longer within this war zone.

_It gets worse_, Yukio's voice swims through my head like a taunting chant. I internally cry knowing that what I had witnessed at my grandfather's house could not compare to what is happening right now. I eventually reach the door, which I thank the heavens for making it there alive and slightly uninjured; I rip the door open and sprint my way out before slamming the dreaded thing behind me.

I bend over resting my hands on my thighs trying to catch my breath and slow my racing hear before I turn back to the door. The noises from within are muffled and when I look back inside through the small window I almost get a heart attack at the sight before me. Tables are overturned, bodies are strewn throughout the classroom, people continue to fight on amongst each other and all the while I wonder how this room could ever be fixed in time before class started.

"Lucy, what are you doing outside of class," with a start, I turn to find Mr. Clive just arriving with a stack of papers in his hands. Something hits the door behind me and I tense feeling the door hit me, "Not again," he grumbles with a curse, and without another word rushes into the room closing the door behind him shutting out the yells coming from within.

Relieved that a well qualified adult now had this situation under control, I turn away from the door to find Cana standing behind me looking a bit dazed. She's wearing almost the same thing she had been wearing the last time I saw her, but she looks different. Her naturally smooth hair is a bit tousled almost as if she just got out of bed and her clothes are a bit wrinkled and dirty. Also, she looks awfully pale as if she was sick and her eyes seem a bit distant as she looks at me.

"Cana, you're back," I exclaim moving towards her and she stares at me confused, "I was afraid that something bad had happened to you when you left my grandfather's house," she takes a small step back, her face contorted in confusion seeming as if trying to process what I'm telling her.

"What?" she looks down at the floor seeming to be searching for an answer to an unasked question before shaking her head and smiling up at me, "Lucy," she says a bit relieved, "Sorry, my mind went running off there," she laughs, though it sounds a bit weak and nervous.

The pained anxious feeling I've been having since she left that night has now returned again as I watch her closely, "Cana, what happened after you left," I unconsciously ask unable to hold myself back and as soon as the words leave my mouth no soon do the warning bells start ringing vigorously inside my head much louder than usual.

Her smile falters and her eyes suddenly darken. She starts to shake her head in horror and before I believe she can start screaming, Gildarts opens the door to the classroom and the silence emitting from it is a sign that the classroom should be in order by now, "Come on in ladies, class has already started,"

Cana quickly ducks into the classroom without another word to me and I follow noticing instantly that everyone is smiling and probably talking about the recent brawl, and surprisingly the room is clean as if nothing had happened. They all smile and greet Cana but no one asks what happened or why she had been absent. They act as if nothing had happened and then I turn to look at Natsu, who is smiling brightly and covered in an endless amount of bruises that I wonder how he's conscious, much less be able to smile. When his eyes lock with mine he seems to see something on my expression and turns to where Cana has taken her seat. His expression hardens and when he turns to look at me his amber eyes darken in an unknown anger.

After about a few seconds his expression softens and he tilts his head toward my seat. I walk on over to my desk and take a seat just as Mr. Clive starts on his lesson which I hardly listen to. For the rest of the day I watch Cana go on through her normal routine and that uncomfortable feeling I've had only grows stronger. Plus the loud warning bells have not once silenced since I asked Cana what had happened.

What's going on around here?

* * *

**It's been such a long week and I'm glad to ****_finally_**** be home to sit down and update while watching some TV. I haven't really been home all week except to eat, shower, and sleep. Today I got out early from camp so I decided to update a new chapter, I really hope you all enjoyed it.**

**SHOUT OUTS**

**Thanks to all of my fantastic favorites...**

**- ChaosWave**

**- FluffyNashi**

**- Alexia1993**

**To my fabulous followers...**

**- Mek Night**

**- .3**

**- Firegirl122**

**- Dragneel1550**

**- Pewty**

**- Alexia1993**

**And to my fantabulous reviewers...**

**SnowAngelSlayerTasha - It was meant to be that way and later on you'll learn on what happened to Cana.**

**Owl's Song - I'm really glad you enjoyed the chapter and I like your pen name since I love owls, just saying. I promise there will be more GaLe later on along with more Jerza and NaLu.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for this week. I should be posting earlier this upcoming week so stay tuned.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	15. Chapter 15

**So I've been a little stuck on this chapter not really knowing what to write after Cana's reappearance but I came up with this and I hope you all like it. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

I turn another corner feeling my heart in my throat. It's beating so loud that it's all I hear making it drown out the sounds of the crashing waves and the seagulls that caw overhead. Sweat is pouring down my face as I look around continuing to search on and it doesn't take me long to figure out that I'm chasing someone. I can't see who it is that I', chasing but I continue to beat my feet down on the cobblestone path toward the light at the end of the empty road.

* * *

"Lucy, are you alright," I turn and look at Jellal who's sitting on the floor next to me staring at me curiously, "Did you dream something bad?"

"No, why?" I ask as he shrugs.

"You were whimpering in your sleep," he says looking away from me and down at his hands where a small foam cup sits with steaming ramen inside.

We stay quiet for a few minutes before I ask, "Hey Jellal," said bluenet looks up from his ramen and looks at me curiously. He got out of work early and decided to come and give me a quick visit at home before he went to go pick Wendy up from school. At the moment we're sitting outside under the gazebo that decorates Fairy Hills' wonderful garden, "You seem to know Erza really well." I say and watch as he chokes on a noodle he had been eating.

I hold in the urge to laugh as he wipes his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt before looking at me shocked, "Why do you say," he asks while stirring his noodles and I shrug while picking at the petals of an Aster flower that I had picked from the garden earlier trying to make myself appear nonchalant, "She's actually an old friend of mine," he says and when I look at him I notice a light pink hue dusted on his cheeks.

His brown eyes stare off into space like they usually always do, but this time he's smiling and it's such a rare sight for me to see that I can't help but just stare at him. He's changed a lot over the years. The deep bruise like bags under his eyes are gone and the worry lines he used to have are less noticeable than they used to be. I watch as he touches the tattoo on his face gingerly, as if it were to burn him if he were too brash.

The wind picks up around us a bit making the leaves of the nearby trees rustle and I watch a few leaves dance over our heads disappearing into the forest, "Are you in love with her," I compulsively ask and he stands up dropping his ramen and looking at me as if I had hit him or something.

His mouth gapes open and closes then opens again as if he's trying to tell me something but the words just won't come. He looks like a fish gasping for air before he composes himself and turns to leave, "Wendy will be out soon. I should probably go and pick her up from school,"

"I thought she was at a friend's house," I ask and he ducks his head caught and I almost feel bad for making him feel uncomfortable, almost, "Is she the girl you used to cry about when we were little?" I then ask and he turns to look at me with a pained expression and he nods his eyes then staring down at a patch of Tea Roses.

"It's my fault you know," he looks up at me, that old haunted expression that he used to have as a child darkening his face now was like a bad dream. He moves and sits next to me on the bench I had been laying on and stares down at his hands, "I met Erza and a few others on the island after I was kidnapped and she didn't remember what her last name had been so I decided to name her Scarlet because of the color of her hair. We became really good friends and if it weren't for them I probably wouldn't have made it out of there alive," I sit up straight in my seat feeling my heart beat erratically in my chest. Jellal never likes talking about the Tower of Heaven and has told no one about the horrors he endured all that time that he was stuck there. All any of his family members know is that he was mistreated and branded with a horrible tattoo as punishment for a crime he had committed within the small island. No one, not even his parents know of what truly happened and now he was going to tell 'me' of all people, "I had tried many times to escape from the island and I failed every single time and it came to the point that the warren got fed up with me that he sent guards to beat me up and later carved this tattoo onto my face," his eyes harden as he mentions this and suddenly everything around us seems to grow quiet as if listening intently to every word that Jellal is saying, "My friend Sho had come up with the idea to dig a tunnel from our cell underground that would lead to the beach so we could escape, but we got caught.

"The guards that had figured out our plan threatened for us to give up the mastermind of the plan and I gave myself up even though it had been Sho who had come up with the plan. I thought that they would only take me and punish me on my own but they took Erza as well and beat her right before my very own eyes. I tried to fight them and when I got free I noticed that Erza was clutching her right eye with her hand and it didn't take me long to understand what they had done to her," his hand clutches into a fist at the horrible memory, "After that all the people who had been taken made a riot and some of us escaped while a few were killed by the guards. I was separated from everyone else and Erza ended up on a different ship with an old man that used to share the cell with us. His name was Rob, but he insisted that we call him Grandpa Rob. It didn't take long for my parents to pick me up from where some of the refugees had been taken to and after I wouldn't talk or eat your mom, aunt Layla, decided that it would be best if we left Akane and moved in with you all," he turns to look at me and gives me a halfhearted smile, "I must have scared you when we first met,"

"Not really, but you did scare me when you tried to cut off your tattoo," he winces at the memory but nods with a deep heavy sigh.

"I was actually glad that we left Akane and moved in with you all in Crocus, your mother really helped me a lot before she…. Passed away," his voice grows morose at the last two words and I feel my heart stutter painfully. Not long after he and his family came to live with us did my mother get extremely sick before leaving us, "All that time I had lived with you I had wondered what had happened with Erza and I always wondered if she had really lost her eye. It wasn't until we moved here to Magnolia and started going to school that I found out that she was perfectly fine. She didn't even have a scar where they had cut her and I was so happy to see that she was safe and alive living in my grandfather's dorm. I could see her and talk to her all I wanted but instead I made it a point to steer clear of her path. I was so ashamed to look her in the eye after I couldn't save her and it wasn't until she confronted me that I finally snapped out of it," I hear a twig snap nearby and I look up to find Erza standing in the middle of the garden and I wonder how long she's been standing there and how much she's heard as she stares at Jellal. He's still looking down at his hands when he says, "So to answer your previous question, yes I do love her," Erza stares at us shocked, blinking a few times as if there were dirt in her eyes. She looks at me and then at Jellal who slowly picks up his head and looks at her with an expression I had never seen before.

He stands up and walks over to a frozen Erza before taking her hand in his and staring down into her deep brown eyes, "I love you Erza Scarlet," he whispers and tears stream down her cheeks as she smiles up at him holding the same warm expression as him.

Could this be what I've never known to be love?

* * *

**This is an important chapter and it's also a small filler. The reason I did this into a Jerza chapter is because later on something will be happening between the two. What is it? Well you'll have to continue reading to find out what it is.**

**Shout Outs**

**Thanks to all of my Fantastic favorites...**

**- kaylevaughn3**

**- xxXMidnight BlazeXxx**

**- starcrossed68**

**To my fabulous followers...**

**- Sara lovelymusic**

**- xxXMidnight BlazeXxx**

**- starcrossed68**

**And to my fantabulous reviewers...**

**SkyFairies - Glad you liked it**

**SnowAngelSlayerTasha - That's exactly how I wanted this story to be, and I really hope that means you like this story. Don't worry, things will clear up soon.**

**Rushering4life - I know it's a bit confusing, but it will all clear up soon.**

**Owl's song - so many questions and so little answers. I'm sorry that I'm keeping you in the dark, but if I wouldn't then the plot wouldn't get interesting*giggles evilly***

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Bonus chapter! Bonus Chapter! BONUS CHAPTER!**

**Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Lucy, Narrator**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

Warm sunlight pours in through the open window as I lie in my bed looking up at the ceiling. Wendy is on the floor reading a magazine that she picked off one of my shelves humming a little tune as she swings her legs behind her content. She looks up at me and smiles before looking back down at the magazine turning a page and reading whatever she can.

Jellal dropped her off this morning before he went to work since Yukino went out of town with some friends to Onibus to go do some shopping for a week, and Laxus was out with my grandfather at who knows where, leaving me to babysit Wendy on my own. I don't quite mind it, only that I don't actually know how to entertain a young preteen.

A phone rings nearby and I stand up stepping over Wendy making my way down the hall downstairs where the phone is ringing. I pick up the phone and press it to my ear, "Dreyer residence," I answer and there's a pause before a gruff voice answers on the other side of the phone.

"_Lucy, is that you_," the voice asks and I unconsciously nod even though the person on the other side can't see me, "_I swear if I didn't know better I'd think it was Layla answering the phone_," I smile a bit finally recognizing the voice.

"Do you really think that," I ask as I wait for Jude Heartfelia to reply.

"_I do, you're your mother's very image_," he says with melancholy staining his voice. He then clears his throat and asks, "_So how are you doing, I heard you fell down a flight of stairs some weeks ago?_" he asks worried and I can already picture his expression right now and I know that there will be scolding soon.

Waving off his worry I lean into the wall resting my head against the wall, "I'm fine, I only reopened my previous wounds and got only a few bruises." I sigh looking over to a wedding picture of my father and mother that sits right next to the phone among a few other pictures of my mom, my uncle, and my aunt when they were kids, "I had accidentally crashed into someone and I lost my footing and fell, but a friends of mine found me and rushed me to the hospital as fast as he could,"

"_Well I owe that boy my gratitude_,"

Pushing myself off the wall I ask, "So how's travelling been?" I ask looking at a miniature globe that sits at the same table that I'm standing next to, "Are you still in Bosco?"

"_No, I was only passing through Bosco; I'm in Desierto at the moment. I'm going to sign a deal with a trading company here in a week and then I'm going onto Enca before going back home give or take a few other stops_," he says as if it were nothing.

I trace the small globe locating the countries he'd be going to and I feel myself grow lonely. I'm not all that close to my father and even though at the moment we are having a normal conversation I can clearly hear the anxious tone in my father's vice. He doesn't really like looking at me all that much since I look so much like my mother and he tries everything he can from shutting me out completely. Even I have qualms with staying in a room alone with him but hearing him being so far away makes me feel as if I don't have a mom or a dad, "You're so far away," I whisper and I hear him sigh sadly through all the talking that's coming from the other side of the line indicating that he must be out in a market place or something.

"_I know, and I'm sorry for having to take this job. I promise that I'll get home as soon as I can_," he says before quickly asking, "_Where's your grandfather, I need to talk to him about something important_." I look up and see Wendy at the foot of the stairs and I smile at her.

"He went out with Laxus; I think Laxus has a fight tonight so he probably won't be home until later," I say and he huffs almost sounding annoyed.

The line is quiet for a minute before he asks, "_So how's school? I haven't been able to ask you if you've made any friends or how your classes were going._" I hear him grunt and then mutter out an apology on the other end, "_How's Magnolia treating you?_"

"It's ok," I turn away from Wendy before whispering, "Although some of the people here are so… mysterious. It's almost as if everyone were hiding some great big secret and I can't shake the feeling that I'm always being watched," I hear a crash through the line and then some cussing before my father yells something that I can't quite understand before he answers me again.

"_It's best if you don't think about it and try not asking too many questions,_" I tense up at his words feeling a cold chill run up my spine, "_Well I'm sorry but I've got to go_." Dad pants as if he were making his way through a crowd of people, which I believe he is at the moment given all the talking and background noise that's emitting from the receiver, "_Tell your grandfather to call me whenever he gets home and call me if you need anything_,"

"Alright I will," I sigh while looking back at Wendy who is now making her way toward the living room reaching for the remote control, "I'll see you soon," I whisper longingly.

Just as I'm about to hang up my dad says, "_Stay safe Lucy_," before hanging up leaving me standing frozen in the foyer.

Now it isn't the words that freak me out, since it seems to be what everyone around Magnolia keeps on telling me, but the way he says it. He sounded worried and a bit overprotected, but what father wouldn't sound like that especially one who is more than a hundred-thousand-miles away, but most of all he sounded scared. I know my father and he is not one to kneel to fear, much less show it, so when I hear him tell me that I can't help but feel scared myself.

* * *

"Why would he sound scared?" Natsu asks sitting in the chair next to mine as we watch the TV. Wendy walks in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of popcorn which she offers me and Natsu some. She eyes him wearily but continues to hold her beautiful smile.

Alright, yes, Natsu is at my house, again. We've been on summer break for about a week now and he has come over whenever no one else but me and Wendy are home, since just about all of my male family members dislike him. We've been trying to figure out on whether what I had discovered between Gajeel and Levy was that they were dating or I had just seen things. We would ask the duo ourselves on what was going on, but Levy went out of town with her family to Akane and is currently staying at the resort until further notice. Gajeel is also out of town along with Juvia to visit some relatives up in Oak Town, I recently found that they're both step siblings, making it hard to interrogate either one.

"I don't know, he sounded fine earlier but just when I was about to hang up he said 'Stay safe Lucy' and just hung up without saying anything else. After he hang up I felt chills run up and down my arms and I couldn't help but feel that there was meaning behind his words," I hug a nearby pillow after handing Wendy the bowl back, "You know, he always hated coming to visit in Magnolia. Said there was something odd about this town and he was even about to cancel the plans he made with my grandfather with me staying here and was going to take me travelling with him," I sigh as I watch the annoying commercials pass by the screen, "He ended up changing his mind last minute and now I'm here, and he's all the way over there wherever he is."

"Everything's going to be alright Luce, you'll see," Natsu murmurs and Wendy nods, though she has a look that says she doesn't know what we're talking about. I give them both a small thanks before something explodes by the TV and a deep testosterone filled voice roars something that I don't quite understand, "Look, the match is on," I turn to the TV and watch a crowd of people sitting and cheering. I spot Laxus immediately as he throws punches making impact with his victims face leaving a bit of blood in his wake.

Wendy and Natsu cheer every time Laxus throws a punch and boo whenever he gets hit. We even start laughing when we watch Makarov stomp around furiously and starts yelling at Laxus. He looks so comical that it's hard not to laugh.

"Go Laxus!" Wendy crows while fist pumping the air.

"Knock him out!" Natsu also cries and the look in his eye that I had seen at school during the fight before I left the room and found Cana after she had disappeared. Everyone still assures me that she must have gotten sick or skipped out of the exams but I can't help but feel that deep down there is something else going on. Truth is that ever since that day I haven't been able to feel that something malevolent has been following me around.

Even now, as I watch Natsu and Wendy cheer my cousin on, I can't help but feel a pair of eyes boring into the back of my head making me squirm uncomfortably in my seat. I do everything in my power to keep my anxiety from overcoming me, but I know that as time passes it will be harder and harder to keep my composure.

It smells as if a storm is coming.

* * *

"He's an idiot," a female voice grumbles as she snaps her fan close almost snapping it in half, "If he keeps this up he's going to let something slip," Rustling in the nearby trees is heard and the woman looks down to find two of her comrades emerge from the foliage, all who look into the open window of the house they have under surveillance.

"What are you whining about this time," a deep rough voice asks with a sigh looking up at the woman bored.

"Natsu, you buffoon. The dense idiot is breaking master's rules," she huffs crossing her arms across her voluptuous chest.

All three figures look into the window at once keeping their gaze on the pink haired idiot who's cheering like a maniac for a guy who hates his bloody guts, "What of the girl," the third figure, who has been quiet up until now, asks without tearing his gaze from the window.

"Wendy suspects nothing," the woman says and the man shakes his head.

"Not her, the blonde," everyone looks over at the golden haired teen.

She's sitting on the couch smiling along with her two companions. Her golden blonde hair is tied up into a half side pony tail. Her milky chocolate eyes stare at the television in wonder watching her cousin's every move, but deep down a sort of uncertainty darkens her eyes. She looks a bit tense, though her guests don't seem to notice through their excitement, and every once in a while she looks over toward the window as if she felt the presence of the unwanted guests outside.

"She's getting too suspicious on what's going on," the woman replies grimly, "It won't be long before she starts asking actual questions to the wrong people and finding out the truth,"

"What do we do Freed?" the first man asks his quiet comrade who stares over at the blonde who laughs at the pink haired boy for falling off his seat in his excitement.

Said man sighs and begins to retreat back into the shadows, "Keep a close eye on her and report back to the master on everything she does. We won't be taking any action against her or Natsu, at least not now," and with that all three figures return to the darkness from which they came.

The storm is almost here.

* * *

**So the reason I'm posting two chapters today is because tomorrow is my first day of school *cheers unenthusiastic* I'm finally a senior in high school meaning that this year will be hectic for me, but fear not my lovely readers, I will not stop writing more mysterious chapters for you so you may rest easy.**

**Also, I need some help. I'm going to introduce Macao and Romeo into the next chapter but I don't know what age to put them in, Well mostly Macao. Do you all thing I should keep him in his thirties like he was before the Tenrou arc, or should I keep him in his forties like he is during the magic games? Please give me your ideas, it'd be a great help.**

**Well that's all for today.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry I'm late, but I'm back with chapter 17! Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

I race through the light and am blinded for a few seconds before my eyes quickly adjust to the harsh yellow light. I'm up over an open road and far off I can faintly see the outline of the ocean, which is still a ways to go from where I'm at, over the roofs of the houses below. I breathe in the salty sea air trying to clear my hazy head allowing my tired body to cool off a bit as I continue looking off into the distance watching the seagulls fly off freely.  
What would it be like to fly?

* * *

Yawning, I walk up the road holding a plastic grocery bag in one hand while Laxus's arms are filled with all the other bags. He's walking next to me grumbling something under his breath about the old man not letting him take the car to go grocery shopping. I look up at the tall robust blonde noticing the dark purple bruise that has bloomed on his left cheek from last night's fight. His face is set into a deep glare that I can only consent with as we both trudge up the hill toward home in this thick humid heat.

Makarov had woken up Laxus early so that he could accompany me to the grocery store to buy what we needed for tonight's dinner. Just when Laxus was about to climb into the only car owned by the Dreyar's only to be told that Makarov was going out to a meeting up across town leaving us walking to and from the store.

"I'm going to kill him," Laxus mutters while continuing to glare at the road in front of me. Did I mention that he had gone to bed late and woken up early?

"You don't mean that, do you," I ask sweetly and he just grunts without saying a word to me.

We continue to walk when two people walk on toward us down the hill. The older of the two, a man looking to be around his forties with receding dark blue hair, sharp facial features, and a prominent mustache just under his nose. Next to him, a young boy of thirteen years old with long dark blue hair, walks holding a baseball bat. I look up at the sky noticing dark swirling clouds and hear the indistinct sound of thunder rumbling lightly, hardly the weather to go out to play baseball.

"Nice match last night Laxus," the older man comments stopping in front of us with a smile. Laxus just grunts while giving a curt nod, "Now who may this lovely lady be," he asks turning to look at me with a bright smile making me blush.

"Macao, Romeo, this is Lucy," Laxus mutters pointing to both males and then at me.

"Lucy," the older man, Macao I presume, says surprised and I can't help but feel that I know him from somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it, "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you," he says with a big smile as I continue to stare at him trying to recollect where I've seen him before. He knows my name and apparently has seen me when I was probably younger.

Snapping my fingers interrupting both Laxus's and Macao's conversation, one that I didn't know was going on since my mind wandered off, I finally realize who this man is, "I remember you," I say excitedly looking at the older bluenette and he smiles expectantly "You're dirty perv Macao," and he sweat drops while the other two males cough trying to hold in a laugh.  
"Is that really what she used to call him," Romeo asks while trying desperately to hold in his giggles making Laxus snort.

"It's all she ever called him when she was eight years old," Laxus snickers receiving a glare from the older Conbolt.

"Well it was nice seeing you kids," Macao says with a smile while ruffling Romeo's hair, who laughs, "I'm taking Romeo here out for a little game of baseball down at the rec-center before the storm hits too hard," they wave and then they're off walking down the hill.

Laxus grumbles something before walking on ahead, arms still full with the groceries we bought while I stand holding my single bag watching father and son laugh and joke around as they move down the street. It makes me wonder on how life would be if mom and dad would have had a boy. Dad would have probably taken him everywhere and would have spent so much time teaching him how to play baseball and other guy stuff. He would have been happy.

Thunder rumbles overhead like a gong as drops of water begin to fall making the humid air more bearable. I continue to watch Macao and Romeo race down the hill as the cold rain begins to soak me to the very bone, but oddly enough I actually enjoy the rain. Once the pair is out of sight I look up at the dark sky continuing to wonder about my father, wherever he is in this immense world.

A flash of lightning brightens the darkness around me and the crashing thunder makes my heart leap to my throat while also making my ears ring. The flash of lightning blinds me for a second and when I can finally see again I feel a shiver run up my spine painfully, and I know it's not the cold rain that causes it.

I hear splashing feet behind me making their way toward me and somehow deep in my gut I know it's not Laxus if not something sinister. My heart rams itself against my chest and the warning bells ring deafeningly while another flash of lightning illuminates everything around me again and I brace myself as I slowly turn around to find three tall figures making their way down the street.

The trio consists of two males and a female that all look strange and ominous. The female is pretty with long wavy light brown hair that is soaked down from the pouring rain. I catch a glimpse of her dark brown eyes through her oval wire rimmed glasses when another lightning bolt flashes somewhere above us. She has a very voluptuous figure with a short green dress with a violet purple stripe running down the front of her dress with a golden heart sewn just between her breasts. It also has, from where I can see, light purple flowers and vine prints on it and the dress ends just a bit below her upper thigh. She's wearing brown fishnets and brown pumps and a dark brown coat with fur on the trim hangs heavily off her shoulders soaked completely with the still pouring rain.

To her left is fairly tall men with long light green hair that reaches his waist, which is tied at the end, and bangs cover most of the right side of his face revealing only one blue eye and the beauty mark that lies beneath his left eye. On either side of the top of his head two strands of hair, that kind of look like lightning bolts, stand defying the pouring water. He's wearing a long red knee-length double-breasted coat, which possesses a wide collar, with large lighter-colored cuffs decorated by a darker line on the back part and edges adorned by two thin golden lines. His coat holds four golden buttons and around his waist is a pair of buckled belts, attached to which, on his left hip, is a strange looking sword. His look is then completed with a pair of loose light-colored pants that are tucked into simple leather boots. He somewhat reminds me of a French nobleman from the Enlightenment period.

Now the last of the three, who is standing beside the green-haired man, is the one who disturbs me the most from the trio. He's much taller than the former man and his outfit is far more bizarre than the other two resembling one of a jester. His upper body is covered in a dark, mildly fitting leotard looking cloth that has vertical black and white stripes. The leotard extends up over his head covering it like a tight hood, making it hard to see what his hair color is, and down his arms only exposing his hands and part of his face. His eyes are obscured by a metal visor that has eight small elongated holes that probably allow him to see outside but prevent me from seeing his eyes. He is also wearing large armbands and also large shoulder pads with skulls painted on them rest on his shoulders. Around his waist is a simple dark band which holds up a massive waistguard made of cloth which comes in four long light colored pieces which is each adorned with a dark 'X' reaching just below his knees. His look is then completed with a pair of extremely baggy dark pants that have lighter colored belts crossing around his leg in an 'X' formation and the pants are tucked into light armored greaves.

I stare at the trio as they silently pass by me while the warning bells continue to blare out shouting for me to run, but I'm frozen in place. The air around me is cold, but thick with an evil tension I have never felt before.

The woman turns to look at me just when she's in front of me and smiles almost cruelly, her eyes dancing with a strange secrecy making my heart stutter and my stomach begins to twist painfully. She then turns away and they all make their way down the path growing farther and farther away from me. I feel tears burn the back of my eyes, though I don't know why, and it isn't long before I feel them fall, mixing with the rain water as I stand there shivering in both cold and fear.

My clothes and hair are plastered onto my body and the paper bag I am holding is threatening to rip apart and spill its contents on the floor. I hear my name being called out behind me and turn to find Loke standing at the entrance to Fairy Hills which is only a few meters away from where I'm standing. I blink hard, urging the tears to stop flowing, before running up the hill away from the strange frightening people.

I have never wanted my mother as badly as I had as I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room with my heart hammering furiously in my chest, my stomach twisting in painful knots, and tears of fear streaming down my face.

* * *

**I'm so sorry with all my heart and soul, but inspiration is a bit hard to come by lately. My head is just buzzing with school and band giving me no time to catch up with Fairy Tail's manga and or anime, which makes me really sad. I'm trying everything I can to sit down and write as much as I can, I'm supposed to be doing homework right now and getting ready for bed, but I will not make you all wait another week for me to post something new, so I really hope you all like this chapter.**

**Shout outs **

**Thanks to all of my fantastic favorite...**

**- MeGustaZeref**

**To my fabulous followers...**

**- shadowX25**

**- BUBBLY-CHAN1234**

**- Crystal DragMura**

**- MeGustaZeref**

**- Delia365**

**And to my fantabulous reviewers...**

**SnowAngelSlayerTasha - I hate school at times too, though so far it's been going good. I hope your first day was great, and the secrets will continue on for another few chapters.**

**richgirl555cub - I'm glad you like it, and again sorry for the late update, I'm trying my best to fix that.**

**Alexia1993 - As long as you don't hate the story in a whole, go on ahead and hate cliffhangers. I've never seen or heard of The Morganville Vampires, but I'll check it out when I get the chance.**

**Katara Asuna Rose - Thanks for the help, I decided to keep them the age after the seven year gap and your review really helped me out with that. I'm really happy that you like the story with its mystery and all.**

**MeGustaZeref - It will all be revealed... Eventually. Until then keep on reading and I'm hoping that you are enjoying my story.**

**Guest - I'm really happy that you're enjoying my story and I appreciate the compliments. It really makes my day when I hear that people enjoy my writing.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today.**

**If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any ****questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm back with chapter 18 ready to be read by all of you amazing people. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**And the mystery continues...**

**POV: Lucy, Natsu**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

Pallets of rain pound on my window and short instances of lightning flashes illuminating my room with white light. I snuggle deeper into my covers feeling the room grow colder as another wave of thunder rattles the empty house and I wince at the sound pulling the covers up to my nose.

I have my back to the window and the curtains are closed from the pouring night and all the while I'm regretting not going along with Laxus to the gym. Watching him train would have been less scary than staying home alone in a storm like this, or I could have gone with Loke to watch a late night movie to wait for my grandfather to come home from the meeting. Instead I decided to lock myself up in my room after that strange encounter I had earlier this afternoon feeling my heart sink further. Truth is that the tears have all but stopped flowing.

Another flash of lightning flashes along with a great resounding crash of thunder that makes my heart stutter and it doesn't help that along with that flash of lightning I see a shadow loom near my bookshelf looking menacing and dangerous. I sit up and once the room darkens again I notice that no one is in the room but me. I scramble to my feet clutching my book to my chest and keeping my covers wrapped around my shoulders as I make my way toward the bookshelf just in case anyone was actually there, but my room thankfully holds no one else but me.

Sighing, I chuckle at my paranoia and I set my book back on the shelf when I feel a cold breeze hit my back once I hear the sound of my window opening. The patter of the rain increases with the open window and the wind makes the papers on my nearby desk scatter across the room onto my wooden floors. I turn around just as another flash of lightning reveals a dark figure crouching at my window looking like some sort of demon trying to break into my room and take my away.

I scream at the top of my lungs and grab hold of the first thing I can find and throw it across the room hitting the thing dead on. It falls onto my bed with a groan and I take a step back to run but my legs get tangled into my blanket and it isn't soon that I'm on the ground trying to untangle myself so I can get away. I scramble up to my feet and grab a hold of a brass candlestick holder while searching the wall with my free hand for the lights to see who has intruded my room while holding my weapon over my head ready to swing unwilling to tear my gaze from the shadow. I finally find the switch and almost instantly the lights shoot on blinding me for a few seconds before my eyes quickly adjust and I'm staring down at my unwelcomed guest/intruder.

"Natsu?" I ask incredulous to find the pink haired teen sitting on my bed nursing his wound I had inflicted on him from throwing a small plastic toy at him.

"Geez Luce, what'd you do that for?" he grumbles, sincerely confused as he continues to rub at his head where a small lump has begun to form at the top of his forehead.

Blinking a bit puzzled, I stare at him before I feel my face burn with oncoming rage, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN WHY'D I DO THAT?!" I screech waving my weapon at him making him flinch and cower a bit, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE SOME SORT OF BURGLAR!"

"Well it wasn't a burglar, it was just me," he says matter-of-factly making it sound as if I were dumb as he crosses his arms across his chest looking a bit indignant as if I had just insulted him.

"HOW THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT YOU CREEP?!" I yell continuing to wave my weapon at him.

"Luce, do you really have to yell so loud. You'll wake up the neighborhood," Natsu states while closing the window behind him shutting out the wind and rain that has probably soaked my entire bed by now. I swear, the nerve of this guy.

"WHO'S FAULT IS THAT?!" I shriek incredulous at his attitude toward the situation, "Besides," I huff, crossing my arms across my chest trying to calm myself down before I get the sudden urge to strangle him here and now, "Who in their right mind would climb up the side of a two story house and break in through the second story window?"

"I didn't break in," he mutters looking almost like a child and I hold in the urge to roll my eyes as I move over to my closet and pull out a towel before throwing it at him once I notice how soaked he is.

He takes the towel giving me a small thanks and starts drying off his hair almost immediately, "What the hell are you doing out in a storm like this?" I ask while moving over to where I abandoned my blanket picking it up and rolling it into a ball before placing it on the bed next to Natsu, but he's looking at something on the floor clearly ignoring what I had just asked him.  
Reaching down, he picks up a piece of paper and starts reading what's written on it while asking, "What's this?" and it doesn't take me long to recognize what he's reading.

"NOTHING!" I cry out while snatching the piece of paper from his hand and quickly picking up the rest of the scattered papers that now litter my floor.

Once I finish recovering every last piece of paper, I stuff them all into one of my drawers all while Natsu stares at me with a funny look from my bed. I sigh, relieved he didn't read anything that he wasn't supposed to, and turn to glare at my pink haired invader as he casually smiles at me while surveying my room. We stay quiet for what seems like ages as he continues to look around before his Amber eyes, which look almost black at the moment, land on something nearby bedside table.

He reaches out once more taking hold of the picture frame that holds a picture of my mom and me when we had gone to Akane Beach a long time ago. He smiles and his expression softens when he says, "You look a lot like your mom," and for some odd reason this unsettles me.

"So I've been told," I mutter still a bit fumed from the scare he gave me, "Not to be rude or anything, but why are you here? Shouldn't you be back at the dorm in your own bed instead of drenching my own and scaring me half to death?" I ask and he chuckles while putting the picture back from where he got it.

"I noticed that you were all alone and I thought I'd come by and give you some company until someone came home," he states standing up from the bed with my towel wrapped around his neck. He looks at me, probably for the first time since he entered the room, and his smile disappears being replaced with a look of worry, "Have you been crying?" Shocked, I move over to my dresser and look into four foot mirror to notice that my eyes are bloodshot and puffy from crying and my nose is a bit red from all the times I've been blowing my nose, "Lucy, are you alright?" Natsu asks breaking me from my reverie and I turn to look at him forcing a small smile onto my face.

I want to tell him, really need to tell him, what had happened earlier this afternoon. It's probably a silly idea, but I feel that those three people were dangerous and that if I were to tell Natsu anything something bad would probably happen to either him or me. Besides, just the thought of telling him what had happened makes the warning bells implanted in my head go haywire making my head hurt from all the none existent noise.

There's also the fact that I feel like we're being watched.

"It's nothing," I whisper rubbing my arms feeling cold and guilty, "I'm just a bit homesick is all," he stares at me for a few more minutes unconvinced, but eventually nods and his cheeky smile has taken over his face before he moves on over to my bookshelf searching the shelves where all of my DVD's are stored.

"Hey Luce, let's watch a movie," he says eagerly scanning the endless amount of movies that I've collected over the years and brought back with me from Crocus. They were probably the first things I sent over here before my clothes and other essential necessities.

I'm more than eager to comply with his simple request unwilling to kick him out and spend the rest of my evening alone. He came all this way after all just to give me a little bit of company, might as well enjoy it while it lasts before my grandfather and cousin return.

Looking at Natsu's soaked clothing I ask, "Do you want me to find you some clothing for you to wear?" I ask and he turns to me, a puzzled look on his face, "You're soaking wet and the last thing I want is for you to catch a cold," he looks down barely realizing that his clothes were indeed wet. Without warning, he drops his towel on the floor and starts removing his shirt without a second thought and I instantly feel my face burn up in flames once I catch sight of his well toned bare chest, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" I cry out pointing an accusing finger at him, "Don't just strip in my room without warning. There's a restroom right by that door, go and change in there while I grab you some clothes,"

With a wide toothy smile, he picks up his discarded towel and shuffles over to the indicated restroom as I face palm before leaving the room and searching through Laxus's drawer for some pants and a shirt. Once I find a shirt and pants I head back to the room to find a pile of his wet clothing on the floor in front of the restroom door. I bend down to pick up the clothing and when I look up I find Natsu standing by the doorway wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and a big grin plastered on his face.

"NATSU YOU PERVERT!" I screech covering my eyes while throwing the dry clothes I found for him at him and all he does is laugh before closing the bathroom door behind him. I stare at the door incredulous at what just happened knowing very well that if Magnolia or my ultimate clumsiness didn't do me in, he probably would.

* * *

The ending credits scroll up the TV signaling the end of the movie and I look over at a nearby clock seeing that it's past midnight. Outside I don't hear any more rain falling and other than a soft rumble and quick flash of lighting the night seems to be very calm. It would probably be a good idea to leave now before the rain started up again. I can always come back for my clothes later when morning comes seeming as it won't be long before the Dreyer males get home from who knows where they're at. The last thing I need is to have Laxus on my ass again, especially since he all but threatened me to stay away from Lucy way before she even got to Magnolia.

I hear a soft murmur and look down to find Lucy fast asleep, leaning into me and grabbing my shirt to keep her from falling. She fell asleep somewhere near the end of the movie and so I wouldn't wake her I wrapped my arm around her just to make sure she wouldn't fall. I wonder how she'd react if she were to find us cuddling like this. I'm tempted to wake her and see her reaction, but I think better of it as I recall the night before she got here and the conversation I had with both Makarov and Laxus…

**_"You know the rules," Laxus states standing a foot behind his grandfather with his arms crossed in front of his massive chest, "For no reason whatsoever must you make any contact with Lucy once she arrives into Magnolia, understand?"_**

**_"Yeah, yeah I know. Keep my distance, keep my mouth shut, and make it a point to stay invisible from her as much as I can without giving anything away," I mutter waving my hand in the air bored from where I sit in the lumpy guest chair, "Anything else you'd like to go over, or am I free to go?"_**

**_Laxus's fists clench in anger, but otherwise stays in his spot behind the headmaster who has stayed quiet this entire time. He opens his eyes, which have been closed until now, and stares at me with his ancient threatening black eyes indicating that whatever he's about to say is very serious, "Do not take this lightly boy," the old man says sounding very well sinister making my spine crawl with the silent threat his words carry, "I will not allow you and your recklessness to endanger my family in any way or form. I'm telling you here as nicely as I can to stay away from my granddaughter or I will not be so kind the next time we meet," his eyes harden and it takes everything in my power to keep from flinching, "If anything happens to Lucy and I find out that you or any of your people are responsible I will personally hunt you down and I'll be asking questions second," he slams his hands on the table as if his words weren't threatening enough._**

**_Nodding, I stand up shoving my hands deep within my pockets and turn to leave. Before I reach the door to his office, I turn around and ask, "What if she goes after me or the others instead and starts asking too many questions to the wrong people?" I ask sincerely making Makarov sigh looking far more tired than he usually looks._**

**_"Leave that to me, other than that; promise me that you'll stay away from her," Makarov says and both Dreyer males glare at me awaiting my answer._**

**_"I promise," and with that I leave the office without another word._**

Sighing, I hold Lucy a little closer to me and she smiles in her sleep before I gently remove my arm from around her shoulders and unlatch the window quickly jumping out after closing it tightly in case it started to pour again. I shove my hands into the pockets of the borrowed pants I have, which are a bit too big on me, when I turn toward the dark foliage near the house feeling annoyed.

"What do you want?" I ask irritated as three figures appear from the shadows, two males and a female, who all glare at me with the same intensity, "Thunder God Tribe," I mutter recognizing the trio almost immediately.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Evergreen asks, crossing her arms across her large chest, "You have order to…"

"To stay away, I know," I cut her off rolling my eyes, "Geez, I'm a teenager, not some goddamn amateur," I spit making her glare intensify. She's never liked me in all the years we've worked together and I'm not afraid to say that the feeling is very well mutual.

"Well then stop acting like one," Freed speaks up surprising me since the man is usually quiet and collected, "Besides, weren't you the one who said it wouldn't be so hard to stay away from some Crocus brat?" Freed asks and even if those were once my words it doesn't stop me from getting ticked off.

"You don't understand…"

"Well then please enlighten us," Evergreen cuts in at the air around us starts thickening with the ongoing tension. I really don't need any of this crap right now.

Bixlow places a firm hand on Evergreen's shoulder but his eyes, even though I can't see them, are trained on me, "Listen Natsu, we've known you for a really long time and you're the best at what you can do and the last thing we want is for you to get hurt," Bixlow says sound almost pleadingly, "But you're not making our job easy by breaking Master's rules and sneaking into his house in the middle of the night to meet up with granddaughter doing who knows what," feeling insulted I open my mouth to argue with him but he cuts me off, "You made a promise, just like we all did. If you're worried about Lucy's safety you can be assured that we have it all covered,"

"It's exactly why Master hired us," Freed interjects, "To keep Lucy out of harm's way and I'm sad to say this but you're the harm we must keep her away from,"

Nodding, I turn to walk away before I hear Evergreen say, "It's for the best," and when I turn back around they're gone.

_**Promise me that you'll stay away from her**_, I look back up to the house at Lucy's window feeling Makarov's warning ring around my head like the warning bells that always ring when I'm around Lucy or doing things I'm not supposed to be doing.

Freed's right, I did call Lucy a spoiled Crocus brat, but that was way before I actually met her. Ever since I coincidentally met her at the hospital that day, since Erza all but dragged me there threatening me all the way, I haven't been able to keep Lucy out of my mind. I've tried to stay away while also warning her as vague as I could, and after she got hurt breaking all those rules I made it a point to stay completely away from her, but I always found myself slowly falling back towards her. I was like an iron nail and she was the magnet. No matter much I resisted, she'd always pull me towards her without either of us realizing it.

"I'm sorry gramps," I whisper to myself as I turn to walk away feeling the sky rumble as another wave of rain falls down on me soaking me once more, "But I won't be able to keep the promise I made you, at least not this time."

* * *

**So I made sure to make this chapter extra long for you all and did everything I could to keep it interesting while giving vague hints as to what is happening. Can you guys guess what's going on, or are the secrets still too strong to decipher. No worries, it will all be revealed eventually, just keep reading so you don't miss out.**

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	19. Chapter 19

**I'm back with chapter 19. Hope your week was good and may this week be even greater. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Natsu, Lucy**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

A noise somewhere to my left catches my attention, freeing my mind from the thoughts of flying freely like a bird, and when I turn toward the source of noise I barely catch the glimpse of a leg disappearing around a corner. With one last glance toward the distant ocean I rush behind the figure that is quickly getting away from my sight down the long cobblestone path.

It's like we're playing a game of tag, and I'm the one who's it.

But who am I chasing?

* * *

"Luuuucy ~" a voice drifts in through the thick haze of sleep, "Come on, wake up" I feel a pressure on my left shoulder and something soft shakes me lightly, "Lu, wake up already," I slowly crack my eyes open to find a blob of blue, "Seriously Lu, we're going to be at the station soon," the blob, which has started to take shape now, complains and the shaking has gotten harder.

Blinking a few times, I look around trying to orient myself as I take in my surroundings. It takes me a good minute to fully wake up and another two minutes to understand what is happening before I realize that we're on a train. That's right, we're going to Balsam Village, also known as Spa Town Hosenka, to hang out with the girls. It's a way to celebrate Levy's return from Akane beach.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty," Cana snorts, her cheeks flushed pink, probably having something to do with the weird canister in her hand, "D'you have a good nap," she cackles even though there's nothing funny on what she asked.

Ignoring her, I turn and look out my window to my right and sure enough not so far away I can spot the train station that partially hides the all too famous Balsam village. I've heard that it's a really nice village with an endless amount of Spas, Bath houses, and restaurants including some Inns and a few casinos. People say it's the perfect place to go and relax where you can let the cleansing warm water clear away your bad aura rejuvenating your mind and body, which is really what I need.

It's been a week since I ran into that strange ominous trio and I haven't once been able to keep them out of my mind. Just when I feel that I've forgotten about them they reappear almost as if warning me, possibly even threatening me. It gets stressful and takes so much out of me especially since no matter where I go I always feel a pair of eyes on me, even when I'm around my family. It keeps me alert 24/7 to the point where it's hard to focus on anything else and because of this I've been losing sleep causing me to always be sleepy.

Ever since Erza told me about this trip I've done nothing but look forward to it, even when the eyes on me seemed to get even more intense. I've tried talking to Natsu about it, who has now made it a thing to sneak into my room through my bedroom window whenever the hell he wants, but he simply shook his head before I could mention anything to him.

**_He puts up five fingers at me, his recognizable stern expression snuffing out all the joy that had not a second ago been there, and looks at me seriously, "Rule number five, Keep your secrets to yourself,"_**

Up until then I hadn't known that the mysterious trio had even been a secret until the warning bells began to ring before I started confessing my discomfort to the only person I can actually confide in my thoughts with. So after hearing the fifth rule I kept my mouth shut and tried to keep it in, but it's been getting harder with every passing minute to not say anything.

What on earth am I supposed to do with my ranting brain?

* * *

The clacking of heels makes us all look up to see who is approaching. Juvia's stern gaze scans around the room from the doorway and it isn't long before she spots us at the back of the room playing cards. We all look up at her and from the look on her face I know what's coming, and I definitely know we're not going to like what's within the peach colored manila folder tucked under Juvia's arm.

"We found another one," she says throwing a file onto the table scattering our cards everywhere, though this time she doesn't sound indifferent as she usually does and her expression is a mournful one.

"Where is our unlucky soul at," Gray asks picking up the file lazily and resting back in his chair while opening the manila folder and almost instantly sits up in his seat staring into the folder with wide stricken eyes almost ripping the folder in half, "WHAT? It can't be." Gajeel rips the folder away from Gray reading the information and his expression grows cold as he stares down at the paper in front of him.

"She's on her way to Balsam Village," Juvia informs us while crossing her arms across her chest and closing her eyes, "You should hurry unless you want things to get worse.

_She?_

I turn and take the file from Gajeel's shaking hands and look up at both males who are staring into space, probably wondering how this could have happened. I pull the closed file away from Gajeel and stare at the peach colored folder wondering who it is that we'll be hunting down now. Taking in a deep nervous breath, I clutch the folder and slowly open the folder to reveal the picture and information inside. I let out all the air from my lungs feeling my head slowly hang in defeat. It can't be her, how could this have happened?

Swallowing hard, I look up at the others feeling my mouth dry, "It's…"

* * *

"Lucy!" I turn and watch the girls catch up to me after grabbing their luggage and dragging it behind them, "Are you ready to head over to the Inn?" Lisanna asks linking her arm with my own before leading me away from the station with the others following close behind.

I nod allowing her to drag me along as I look around completely amazed at how over the top everything around here is. So many colorful buildings, their oriental architecture style decorated with strange old fashioned carvings and vender carts litter the street as far as the eye can see. It's almost as if I stepped into a fictional universe with crazy buildings and people dressed in kimonos walking down the streets buying food and or souvenirs to take home once their trip ended. The feeling of relaxation was definitely in the air and I couldn't wait to be completely a part of it.

We reach the Inn, a modern Japanese looking building, and check into our room that we all decided to share with one another, since I hear the rooms are pretty big here. It isn't minutes after I get settled in that the girls quickly drag me out after convincing me to dress into a blue kimono with fluttering pink petals painted onto the material. The other girls wear the same clothing as me and I can't help but feel a little uncomfortable walking around the village wearing such thin clothing.

The distractions around the village help clear my mind of all embarrassment and I soon forget that I'm even wearing a kimono instead of my usual shirt and skirt. The distractions around me also help keep my mind from registering the eyes that are no doubt following my every move.

Even though the most we do is walk around stopping a few times to check out some stores and vender carts, I can't help but feel that I'm having so much fun. Every time I breathe in the warm, thankfully not humid, air around us I can't help but feel my troubles fade away like dissolving ice. I even start to wonder if I could just stay here forever and not go back to Magnolia where I know things will only get harder as the days go by, but deep down I know that I wouldn't actually have the guts to leave what little family I have left, but one can dream.

"OOH, we should try out the hot springs. I hear that Balsam Village holds the best hot spring in all of Fiore and that even the king himself goes to it whenever he gets the chance," Lisanna chirps excitedly looking up from a map she brought with her from the Inn, her large blue eyes shimmering with anticipation, "We should totally check it out,"

"It sounds good to me," Levy agrees with a wide smile and I nod along with the others.

"I'm in,"

"Me too,"

"Then I suggest we head on over there now before we go to eat," Erza suggests and without complaint we all head on toward the famous Hosenka Town Hot Springs.

"Ah, this is the life," Cana sighs while resting her elbows on the ledge behind her as she submerges her body into the warm, almost scalding, water, "You know what would be great right now?" she asks me, since I'm sitting right next to her and I look at her curiously, "Some nice Sake," she says dreamily.

I deadpan thinking back at all the alcohol she already drank on the train ride here, not including all the other alcohol she must have also had while we were touring around the village, "Uh, Cana, aren't you underage to be drinking," I ask her and she gasps as if I had just told her that she was fat.

She gazes at me almost accusingly with a small pout before closing her eyes and crossing her arms across her towel clad chest, "Age has never stopped me before," she grumbles and I chuckle at her childish antics.

My eyes slowly descend toward her wrist, where not less than a few weeks ago had been wrapped in gauze, which now is empty of any jewelry or medical band aids. Instead, reaching from the tip of her wrist to the middle of her forearm a thin pale line, which is no doubt a fading scar, marks her raising many unanswerable questions within my head causing the warning bells to lightly chime.

"How are you enjoying yourself Lu?" Levy asks as she wads through the warm water to sit next to me and I can't help but feel the question I've been dying to ask her for the past three weeks bubble up to my lips. Instead I tighten my mouth into a tight smile knowing that right now isn't the best time to mention something like that, especially with Lisanna nearby. In the short amount of time I've known the white haired teen I've learned how her sister loves to match make anyone she hears that has even the most remote chance at liking each other and I would never do such a thing to Levy, unless of course she failed to mention anything to me in the upcoming days.

"I'm having a lot of fun," I say with a content sigh and she smiles looking glad before settling back down into the water.

For an hour, or probably more, I watch the steam of the water rise up toward the uncovered sky and I watch the stars twinkle over us along with a huge gorgeous full moon. The winking stars remind me of my mother and it takes me back when we used to sit on the large balcony at our home before we moved to Crocus where the stars were much brighter away from the light pollution of the city. I remember we would sit on one lawn chair, both of us wrapped up in blankets and a warm cup of hot chocolate wrapped between our hands as we searched for shooting stars and pointing out the various constellations I've learned to recognize by heart.

Looking down at my hands, which have begun to prune, I wonder what it would be like to watch the stars from Magnolia. I've lived there for almost two months already and I haven't had the chance to find a decent spot to go star gazing. I make myself a mental note that once we get back to Magnolia I would do everything I could to find a decent star gazing spot so I could look up at the stars like when I used to with my mom. Maybe I'd feel even closer to her than I already did while sleeping in her former room.

I continue to think about it an hour after that as I follow the others toward the Super Express Restaurant ordering a bowl of their world famous noodles, which are really good I even got seconds. It isn't I notice that Levy is missing that I snap out of my constellation searching reverie.

"Hey Erza, where's Levy?" I ask the red haired beauty, who is apparently blushing due to both Cana's and Lisanna's endless amount of questions pertaining to Jellal and her relationship, which will no doubt end up zooming toward the ears of Mirajane.

"She said she was heading back to the Inn, said something about wanting to read before going to bed," Erza says, her cheeks blazing scarlet like her hair as the other girl's laughter increases.

Standing up from the table, I smile at the trio while saying, "I'm going to go give her some company so she won't be alone," and after pushing my chair back I head for the exit heading on over toward where the Inn is at, which is only two blocks away.

I look around noticing that the evening couples have begun to flood the streets and for some odd reason my thoughts go to Natsu and I wonder what he's doing right now? "Probably breaking into my room," I mutter knowing well that that could be a possibility since I never told him that I was going to be out of town for a day with the girls. Hopefully Laxus or my grandfather doesn't catch him if he does decide to sneak into my room.

Sighing, I look through the crowd feeling a little lonely when a flash of blue to my far left catches my eye and I turn to watch Levy walking away toward an alleyway. Smiling, I head on over toward the short blue haired teen wondering if she had gotten lost through this thick crowd and was still trying to find her way toward the Inn which was only a block away.

"Levy," I call waving my hand in the air once I'm certain that I'm close enough for her to hear me and almost immediately the warning bells I've grown so accustomed to blare into my ears making me cry out in pain from the force. It takes everything in me from keeling over in pain as I continue to make my way through the crowd toward Levy feeling my heart sink and my stomach churn agonizingly into tight knots, "Levy," I call out again in hopes that she will hear me, but she continues to walk deeper into the alleyway seeming to be talking happily with someone who looks just like a looming shadow to me. It's so ominous that I fear it with all of my being.

Pushing through the unknowing passerby's, I continue to call out for Levy but my voice gets droned out through the nearby music which is coming from some southern playing band. My heart is racing in my chest pounding painfully against my ribs and it's gotten a bit harder to breathe as I continue to push feeling frustrated that I can't move any faster.

Time then slows down and I watch what happens before me as if I were watching an old classic action film where the hero is racing to save their best friend from the evil villain who's getting ready to get rid of them. I'm the hero, the shadow is the villain, and Levy is the victim.

I watch in agonizing fury as Levy's bright hazel smiling eyes look up at the shadow seeming to be having a conversation with it. She laughs, her eyes closed and her cheeks blushing shyly, and when she opens her eyes her smile fades and the laughter vanishes from her eyes showing concern and then fear. She takes a step away from the shadow, terror overwhelming her innocent face, and she seems to be pleading as tears stream down her pale cheeks just as the wall behind her stops her from moving any further, she's trapped.

Finally, after what seems like a millennia, I reach the edge of the alleyway where she is at, but I'm too late. I watch as a gleaming silver knife digs into Levy's abdomen making her cry out in pain. The knife is then pulled out and with a blink of an eye the shadow disappears leaving Levy sprawled on the cold wet ground with blood blooming like an opening flower painting her kimono and making a puddle on the cold pavement below her as she clutches her stomach in pain. Her breathing has grown heavy and it seems to be slowing down and it looks like it's getting harder for her to keep her eyes open.

"LEVY!" I cry out taking a step toward her and before I know it a shooting pain blooms at the back of my head and all I can see is an endless void of darkness.

I was too late.

* * *

**And the suspense continues to build! Muahahahahahaha!**

**I hoped you all liked the chapter. I worked hard on it all weekend and since today I didn't have to go to school I decided to post this up before I go to band practice. What? Why do I have band practice on a day off of school? Because my directors are jerks and never know when to let us rest -_-'**

**Shout Outs**

**Thanks to all of my Fabulous Followers...**

**- NickyDawn**

**- CuteFoxShade-NightShadeOwl**

**- JenCakeLover**

**And to all of my Fantabulous reviewers...**

**richgirl555cub - I now pronounce you story and story reader! Haha. I'm really happy to hear that you enjoy my updates and trust me, I squeal as well when I get reviews from you and my other readers. And yes, I will always expect a review from you.**

**FanFictionLeon - And the mystery continues. Don't worry about being confused, I'm just as confused as you and I'm the one writing the story. Hopefully when the time comes it'll make as much sense as it does in my head.**

**MeGustaZeref - Yes the danger has finally come and from here on out tragedy will only grow, but it won't be as bad as the actually anime Another since I only got the inspiration for it. The ending, in my opinion, should be a good classical happy ending unless otherwise I decide to change it. Probably not, but I guess we'll have to see.**

**Owl's Song - I'm sorry you had a bad week of school, but I'm glad my story brought a smile to your face, at least I hope it did, and to make your day today I will vaguely answer your questions...**

**- is it just Natsu who is dangerous in Fairy Tail?**

**-Yes and no. It's not that he's dangerous himself if not what he does is dangerous and must be kept from the public at all times.**

**- does Lucy's dad have something to do with this?**

**- Not really. He knows what's going on, which is why he was reluctant to leave Lucy in Magnolia when he did.**

**- WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?**

**...Stuff...**

**Well that's all the shout outs for today and I hope _some_ of your questions were answered and if you have any more just ask. I'd be glad to answer without giving to much away from the story.**

**Anywho, ****If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any ****questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I'm back with chapter 20. Please R&R and I shall see you at the bottom of the page.**

**POV: Lucy, Narrator**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

_I reach the edge of the alleyway where she is at, but I'm too late. I watch as a gleaming silver knife digs into Levy's abdomen making her cry out in pain. The knife is then pulled out and with a blink of an eye the shadow disappears leaving Levy sprawled on the cold wet ground with blood blooming like an opening flower painting her kimono and making a puddle on the cold pavement below her as she clutches her stomach in pain. Her breathing has grown heavy and it seems to be slowing down and it looks like it's getting harder for her to keep her eyes open._

_Then an endless void of darkness consumes me._

* * *

"LEVY!" I cry sitting up and opening my eyes searching all around me for the short blue-haired girl in the alley that we should be in. Strong warm arms wrap around me restraining me as I continue to search blindly.

"LUCY!" a deep voice yells over my screams, "Lucy, calm down," I stop thrashing allowing my eyes to adjust to my surroundings as I blink away the tears that have blurred my eyes, "What's wrong?"

I look into Natsu's deep amber eyes that look down at me with worry as he holds me close to him, "Oh Natsu," I cry burying my face into his chest, "Sh-she's gone," I feel him stiffen slightly as I continue to sob our uncontrollably, "I w-was too late and now sh-she's gone,"

"Who's gone?" Natsu asks while tightening his grip on me.

"Levy," I whisper, "Sh-she died r-right in front of m-me and I c-couldn't do anything about it,"

Natsu rocks me back and forth leaving the room in silence with the only noise coming from some chirping birds nearby, "It was just a dream," he finally murmurs stroking my hair and I push away from him wondering how he could say that when we were sitting in the middle of…

My room.

I stare, confused, around at my room feeling disoriented as my head starts to hurt from my bewilderment, "Th-that's impossible," I whisper turning to look back at Natsu, "I was at Balsam Village with the girls, Levy left us when we were at the restaurant and I followed her so she wouldn't be alone. I found her in an alley with someone and she looked happy, and then…"

"It was just a dream Lucy," Natsu insists removing his hands from my shoulders grabbing my hands, "I saw Levy this morning before I came to see you and she's perfectly fine," I shake my head unable to process this knowledge.

"But we went to Balsam Village…"

"Lucy," Natsu insists sounding a bit desperate, "Listen to me, you haven't left Magnolia all summer. I know because I've come over to your house since we left school a few weeks ago and you haven't left your house all this week," his eyes look pleading and I can't but notice his eyes slightly glancing at the window nervously.

"It felt so real," I finally murmur as he gives me a small smile before hugging me back toward him while smoothing down my untied hair.

"Most nightmares do," he whispers with a defeated sigh, "Well I better go," he then says pulling away from me quickly while jumping on my bed heading over toward the open window, "I'm going out with the guys today so I won't be around for a while," he says and I nod staring at him as he effortlessly jumps out of my two-story window landing safely on the soft grass below.

I lean over the window sill watching him land gracefully and then dust himself off before looking back up at me with a smile. He waves and then dashes down the garden toward the dorms next door disappearing around a corner.

"I don't believe you," I whisper to Natsu's already retreated form, and I didn't believe him. For once since I met the pink haired teen I didn't trust a single thing he said to me just a few minutes ago.

On any other occasion I could have thought it to be a simple horrible nightmare, but there were a few things that said so otherwise. First, Natsu wasn't as cool and composed as he usually is since he kept on trying to plead for me to agree that what I had was a nightmare. Second, my memory doesn't recall ever spending this past week with Natsu, if not, he's been _gone_ this entire week since Levy got back saying that he was going to give me time to catch up with Levy and see what what going on between her and Gajeel. Lastly, what I had was indeed a nightmare, but not one caused by my mind if not by reality. I watched Levy die, and then someone knocked me out.

The bump on the back of my head tells no lies.

"She knows," Freed murmurs with his arms crossed tightly across his chest as he watches Lucy close the window to her room, "She knows he's lying to her,"

"How can you tell?" Bixlow asks from a tree branch not too far away watching as Freed points at the blonde. She has a look of utter confusion that's mixed with understanding as she gingerly touches her head, "Oh, I see. So Natsu hit her too hard in the head last night, huh?"

"That moron, look what he's caused along with that other buffoon Gajeel," Evergreen huffs, "To think that those two are experts at doing this and they can't even keep one girl from suspecting too much,"

Both males nod, "You all know what must be done now," Freed sighs shaking his head sadly and the other two stare at him with the same sorrowful expression, "Either he finds a way to keep her from going any further than this, or we'll have to really intervene,"

"Understood," and with that they continue to watch over the young Heartfelia.

* * *

**I'm sorry if this chapter feels a little slow, I actually trolled on this chapter so I'm sorry if it's boring. It's just one of those chapters, ya know? I still hope you guys liked it.**

**Shout outs**

**Thanks to all my Fantastic Favorites...**

**- NightVVingz**

**- FanFictionLeon**

**To my fabulous Followers...**

**- Eisren**

**- blueberrysmoothie2**

**- triplexloco**

**- NightVVingz**

**- BeastlyTick59**

**- WinterFrost17**

**- NatsuXLucyForever**

**- SavySkyDragon**

**And to my Fantabulous Reviewers...**

**Sara lovelymusic - Because I can't help writing cliffhangers. It helps me transition into the next chapter.**

**richgirl555cub - Awww, you're too kind.**

**FanFictionLeon - I'm happy to hear that my story has got your mind running on questions. Thanks, I play the clarinet in both marching and concert band and I used to be in colorguard last year. It's always nice to hear from fellow band member that's reading my story.**

**BeastlyTick59 - Look at it this way, the more I keep you in suspense the more you're going to want to continue reading to find out what's going on *winks***

**MeGustaZeref - OOh, you got one thing right, but I'm not going to tell you what it is *giggles evilly* but if you read in between the lines of this chapter you'll know what you got right.**

**Owl's Song - Glad to help, but please don't die. There's still so much that needs to be uncovered.**

**Well that's all the shout outs for this week, and again I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit boring, I promise to make it WAY better next time.**

**Anywho, If you are enjoying my story so far please follow, favorite, and review - remember, reviews are a writers candy - and if you have any ****questions or ideas you'd like to see put into this story you can also PM me and I'll gladly add it in.**

**Until next time my lovelies.**


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